How To Say No And Live To Tell About It would be beneficial to anyone who has ever had trouble prioritizing or saying no. Its focus is on women and their unique challenges, but it has some great ideas for everyone.
Byers conducted an online survey for women and 82.1 percent of them said that they had trouble saying no. She clearly comprehends issues women face and offers sensible and realistic solutions in a down to earth way.
At the end of each chapter, there is a helpful taking action section along with discovery questions. These sort out passions, strengths, goals and priorities. People change, so the tasks they do regularly don’t have to stay the same.
Guilt
There’s a whole chapter addressed to this often unproductive emotion with creative ways to address it. When people are focused and clear about their purpose and direction, they’re not as likely to be manipulated with guilt. “Rather than feel guilty for what you can’t do, you feel excited and energized by what you can do”, says Mary M. Byers.
Say No Without Using the Word No
Mary M. Byers has polite sample responses in Chapter 31 (How to Say No Without Using “No”) for those who want to say no, but can’t spit that particular word out. The examples are effective for people who may not want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
People Pleasing
This overlaps with worrying about hurting people’s feelings, but people pleasing is also done in order to feel important and liked. Pleasing people can interfere with something others might be better off doing themselves. Mary M. Byers points out that people often exaggerate their own self-importance and are often not the only ones who can accomplish a task.
Time and Accessibility
There are good tips on how to go about obtaining more time and getting organized as well as a good night’s sleep. Everyone does seem to be more accessible now, but Mary explains how that doesn’t mean anyone has to be chained to his or her cell phone. Communication tools are best used to a person’s advantage and not to cause more complications or interruptions.
How To Say No And Live To Tell About It (Harvest House Publishers, ISBN -13: 978-07369-1687-5, 2006) also includes bible quotes to help expand upon the points Mary M. Byers is making. This is not done in an overwhelming bible thumping way, but more in a reassuring way that Jesus would also say that it was okay to say no.
About Mary M. Byers
Mary M. Byers is a popular speaker with over 20 years of experience. She’s passionate about women’s issues and is a frequent guest on radio and television programs. The Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While Caring for Your Family was her first book offering advice to women about how to balance self-care with raising a family. To become a No Queen, Mary encourages others to visit her website MaryByers.com.
Sandra Williams - Sandra's a book addict and writer from Ontario, Canada. Her interests include cooking, health and personal development, so many of her ...
