Some people feel like they have to give a reason when we say no to a request. Perhaps they feel guilty for making the choice that is right for them. Or perhaps they fear their choice will be met with hostility or a negative consequence. When you offer reasons to manipulate someone else’s reaction or mitigate consequences, you diminish both yourself and the other person because you are assuming the worst of all involved. When you trust that people are capable of handling all the situations in their life, you realize that it’s actually more kind to simply say, no.
