I’ve Changed: Now I Dare To Say “enough”

When was the last time you dared to say “enough” out loud? Although it may seem simple at first, this simple gesture is an important act of courage. It is the way to preserve our own emotional well-being by setting the limits of what we are willing to tolerate.

In addition, far from what some may think, people do change over time. Certain aspects of the personality vary, as well as the values ​​and attitudes that allow us to better adapt to the difficulties of life.

With this type of transformation the human being manages to advance. In other words, these are opportunities in which it is possible to regain inner peace and rediscover oneself. We invite you to reflect on this matter.

Saying “enough”: an act of liberation

If we stop for a few seconds to think about how many ‘yes’ we have said throughout the day compared to the number of ‘no’s’ we have spoken, we will notice an interesting detail.

It turns out that people, in general, opt for affirmations before those denials that we find so difficult to express.

The educational model we grew up with tends to be geared toward that respectful courtesy. We are used to answering yes, to give thanks and to be solicitous at all times. All these habits are signs of kindness that will open doors for us on more than one occasion.

Now, having strategies to be assertive would help us to also address other kinds of situations, those in which we want to respond in a different way. We explain what it would consist of.

The importance of assertiveness

Assertiveness is, above all, that behavior thanks to which we manage to defend our own rights and points of view in a respectful way, considering the person in front of us.

• In the first place, to achieve this, it is necessary to know how far the limits of what we are going to accept or reject depending on the case. That is, what are we willing to consent to and what not.
• Once we are clear about the values ​​with which we identify, it is important that we take care of them both individually and avoiding transgressing them in interactions with others.
• It’s about respecting and being respected. To learn to listen, but also to raise our voice to explain what we do not want, do not like or hurt us.
• Using the personal pronoun ‘I’ will support the sentences that we emit: “I’m not going to allow you to talk to me like that”, “I can’t stand this, because it hurts me”, “I feel undervalued, I think you’re not appreciating “…

The possible consequences of saying “enough”

Sometimes the changes are accompanied by emotions such as fear or insecurity. We are afraid to imagine the possible consequences that will follow from the decision we have made.

• Saying “enough” to such complex family dynamics will, for example, cause these people to react negatively, rejecting us.
• Putting the brakes on precarious working conditions can cause us to lose our jobs.
• Saying “enough” to the rebellious behaviors of the children may incite them to say something like “they don’t love us”.

It is natural to have doubts in such circumstances. However, before anticipating the results, it may be necessary to stop and think about what would happen if you did not react. That is, what will happen if we continue to maintain such harmful situations?

Sometimes it is more dangerous to continue attached to an unsustainable present than to act and say “enough”. Believe it or not, new paths are often opened that we may not have contemplated before.

The importance of defending your own values

If we act according to those values ​​with which we identify, it will be easier to harmonize what we feel with what we do.

But if we get used to giving in today and tomorrow too, if we focus only on pleasing others, a day will come when we will not recognize ourselves in the mirror.

• Although it is almost impossible to always do what we want, that does not imply that we forget to respect ourselves.
• To live together it is necessary to take into account the needs of others, but also to know how to listen to one’s own heart and act accordingly.
• The inner peace and dignity of each one are not negotiable.
• If we let others violate us, we will appear as secondary actors playing roles that do not represent us at all.

However, saying “enough” is the way to give voice to one’s rights. Beyond fear or indecision, setting limits will help us take a step forward.