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Gulfside Counseling

Relaxed, professional counseling on the gulf side of Pinellas County, Florida.

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Category: blog

N+O

How can two simple letters like N and O come together and be so intimidating?

June 17, 2019 by Gulfside Counseling

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How can two simple letters like N and O come together and be so intimidating?. . . N starts off so many easy, and approachable words like nice, nachos, nap, and novel. O ends words like cappuccino, gelato, oreo...all the yummy words. . . . But then there’s N+O. Those letters come together quick and without pause. It’s so hard sometimes to hear and accept no. No, in it’s definitive, succinct and downright abrupt nature, doesn’t often invite smiles, warm fuzzies and all the easy words that often flow after a yes. No is a line in the sand. It is a verbal indication of what you are not willing to do or accept. . . . Maybe saying no is supposed to be hard. Maybe it because you may be a little too close to the edge or being over scheduled, overloaded, *insert all the weighty O words here. When you really think about it, when is being at the edge of a boundary ever that comfortable?. . . . I don’t think there’s any clear point in time where saying no to people gets easier, but I do know that when you more clearly and more often define your boundaries, you may not be asked as often to cross or overlook them. Eventually those uncomfortable N+O responses will start to speak for themselves.

Don’t let rumination become a missed opportunity for a better day. Put it down.

|| Get out of your head || • Call a friend • Take a shower • Walk outside • Drink something really warm or really cold • Count — anything! Trees, ceiling tiles, red things in the room, focus on the number • Meditate • Watch Beychella on Netflix 💃🏾 • Read a paragraph of a book out loud. . . . . Sometimes being in your head isn’t a great place to be. Get out of there if you need to! Take a break and clear your mind, you don’t have to stay there.