Saying “No”:
“Everybody wants me to contribute money or volunteer my time and I’m overwhelmed.”

"Angle of Approach" — Furyk by Mimi Stuart ©
Live the Life you Desire

So what I really meant was…

“This organization sounds intriguing. Unfortunately, we’ve already contributed all we can this year.”

Or,

“I’d love to help. It sounds like a great cause. Unfortunately, I have too many obligations right now to be able to contribute any time to this.”

Contributing to worthy organizations is a wonderful thing to do. But if you let yourself become tapped out energetically or financially, you may have nothing left for yourself or those closest to you. It’s important to know your limits, and there’s nothing unworthy about saying so.

by Alison Poulsen, PhD

Read “Too Responsible to Enjoy.”