Stephanie Iken, Attorney at Law

I’ve always been a people pleaser. If someone asks for help, I usually say yes. I’ll stay up late on work projects to make a coworker’s life easier. If someone asks for a small favor, I’ll rearrange my life to show up. Some of that is empathy. Some of it is lack of self-respect. Deep down, I feel a quiet fear that if I say no, I’ll let someone down.

What I’ve learned, slowly and sometimes the hard way, is that saying no doesn’t make me selfish. It makes me functional.

Every yes that comes from guilt or obligation costs me something.

Sleep. Focus. Creativity.

The energy I actually need for the work and relationships that matter most.

I spent years believing I had to explain or justify my limits, as if boundaries only counted if they were convincing enough.

They don’t.

Now, when I turn something down, I try to keep it simple and honest:

“I really appreciate you asking, but I don’t have the bandwidth right now.”

That’s it.

It still feels uncomfortable sometimes, especially when I care deeply about the person or the cause. But I’ve learned this: every no that comes from self-respect makes my yes more real.

If you’re a helper by default, maybe this is your reminder too. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for protecting your time and energy. Saying no isn’t rejection. It’s choosing yourself first.