Friends, welcome to your personal space of peace and positive thinking, here for you each week. It’s here to bring you back up on those days when life may be pulling you down, or to simply keep your spirits uplifted, week after week.

When was the last time you turned down a dinner invitation without having to give an excuse. It may sound terribly strange, but sometimes the most honest thing, one can say, is a simple ‘NO’.

When you believe in yourself and what you do, then, having the courage to decline is proportionate to your confidence.

In our passage thrugh life, there are far too many people wanting our attention and time. Therefore, at some point, you must say ‘NO’ so as not to spread yourself to thin.

Of course, you don’t want to miss big opportunities coming your way, but then, neither can you be all of those things, all the time, to all the people.

As we all very well know, we can have anything we want, but NOT EVERYTHING.

That’s why we have options and make choices, which means saying ‘YES’ to some and ‘NO’ to others.

Stay focused and say ‘NO’. Don’t worry, a sincere honest ‘NO’ will be respected and shows that you have the courage to stand up for your beliefs and are committed.

It shoudn’t be too hard, really! It’s just a simple two letter word which you must learn to say POLITELY, but FIRMLY.

<B>by Ruby KAPOOR</B>