A few days ago, an old acquaintance selling a service, convinced me to schedule a free consultation with him. Later, I recognized I didn’t want the consultation.
I should have said no from the start. Instead, I discomfort plagued me as I waited for this appointment. All because I couldn’t handle the discomfort of saying no upfront.
I wanted to put off canceling until last minute, but I thought that would be inconsiderate. So yesterday, I called him up and revoked my yes.
Revoking the yes was uncomfortable. He expressed a bit of disappointment. It felt like he was trying to pressure me at that point. It felt very sales-y. But I agreed to revisit the possibility in a few months.
Later my mom told me she got a similar service and regretted it! So now I think I will say no again.
What I Learned
I felt a small weight lifted off of my brain after saying no. Being committed to something without real motivation sucks.
Sometimes I try to plan the exact right way to say no to someone. But it’s ok to say no in a way that isn’t perfect. After all, its practice makes perfect.
Next time, I’ll say no upfront.