The Fear of No

Ohhh the fear of no. I don’t know about you, but this word for some reason always terrified me. “No you can’t do this, no you can’t do that, the answer is no.” Why are we so scared of this word? When all it really is is 2 letters. I grew up a very sensitive kid. I remember vividly if I would ever get in trouble with anyone besides my parents I would get all watery-eyed and almost cry. It wasn’t just that I always wanted to be perfect, but it was real insecurity within me. Today as an adult, I still have to remind myself that no is never a definite answer. No means try harder, no means prove otherwise.

The Fear of NO is Only the Limit of our Imagination

If no does not phase you then maybe it is something else like the fear of rejection. We all have our little hangups and fears. However, we must learn to put our fears behind us. I once read a book about a guy who would purposely ask for exceptions at restaurants and stores such as discounts at places like Starbucks. Even though he knew he was not very likely to get a discount, sometimes the no he expected was sometimes a yes.

The Whole Purpose was to Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.

We can learn to accept being rejected and being told no. We can define the odds and maybe make a no really a yes. We do not know the answer unless we try. So let’s stop dwelling on the fear of no and start getting excited about the endless possibilities of possible yeses.

Love,

BB Jean