The Power of "No"

How comfortable are you saying “no?” It's a very powerful word. Some people were not permitted to say “no” in childhood, even though the terrible twos (so called) is a time when the brain is supposed to be learning to differentiate itself from other human beings. If you didn’t learn to say “no” in childhood, you may be unable to say “no” in adulthood. To anything. The book entitled When the Body Says NO, may be landmark in exploring the connection between stress and disease. The author wrote: “When we have been prevented from learning how to say no, our bodies may end up saying it for us.” Most people remember wanting to stay home from school because it was perceived as a non-nurturing, stressful, and non-accepting environment. When the stress became bad enough, the body would allow you to catch a cold, or develop a migraine, or double over with a stomach ache. In adulthood, you may not perceive you have the option to stay home for work. Taking an R-and-R day once in a while, however, may be as helpful as missing a day of school was back during childhood. When people do not listen to the mindbody’s need for a break, the body may become even more vocal as it yells “no,” through a variety of physical symptoms.