The Ability to say NO! + Weekly recommendations

How many of us struggle with the ability to say the word 

"NO"

we worry about how the other person would react, how this might affect us down the line "what if they hold a grudge or this turns out to be an opportunity missed in hindsight ?". In our need for social acceptance and surrounded by a world that constantly believes in sharing and being open, we often worry about setting boundaries and making a choice to shut the door on something or someone. 

In her book "reclaim your boundaries", Nedra Glover Tawwab writes about how a two-year-old can very clearly say no, but as that two years old gets older, adults start telling this very kid that it's not nice to say no and to quote her 

"From a very young age, we're told that our boundaries are not nice or kind, and then as adults, we have issues setting boundaries."

So, maybe it's time to embrace the essence of what that two-year-old understood ( not literally, of course) and be mindful of how packed your schedule already is to say yes to one more thing or be true to your feelings and make that choice to say no. Because let's face it, If a relationship or equation can break because of a NO, it wouldn't be a YES in the long term anyway. 

So, maybe next time, ask yourself 

"Do I have the headspace to say yes to this, and is this essential?" 

Weekly recommendations

This has to be one of favourite threads from David perell, by far one of my favourite “Twitter-writers”. It also might be my growing interest in philosophy in general,

David Perell @david_perell

How Philosophers Think Philosophers are the best thinkers I know, and their tactics can help us all. Here are my favorite ones: 1. Be an intellectual boxer: Understand ideas by making them battle with each other. Create characters in your mind and make them debate each other.

Then Two great podcast episodes, First an insightful look into our insecurities in Adam grants podcast “Work Life”

And then a fabulous “Best-of” episode from Reid Hoffman on moves for post-pandemic success!

Self Plug

Also, dropping some self plugs on my musings on the future of the entertainment industry

And a clip from my chat with modern poet Yahya Bootwala

Quote of the week

We jump at the chance to judge strangers. We would never do that to ourselves, of course. We are nuanced and complex and enigmatic. But the stranger is easy

- Malcolm Gladwell from Talking to strangers

✌🏽