That's a Hard No (Season 2, Episode 5)

Heather Drago of Clever Girl Marketing and Sarah Saunders of Purposeful Growth and Wellness kick off the first episode of their brand-new podcast, That's a Hard No, exploring the important and sometimes impossible-feeling practice of setting boundaries. 

Hear how Heather's tough conversation with a client catalyzed a "Year of No" for this recovering people-pleaser, and why Sarah said YES to adding a podcast to her life even with three children under three and a new business.

This podcast is launching into a full series under Heather and Sarah's leadership. Head over to hardnopodcast.com to follow along.

And don't forget--you can find Social Distance Happy Hour on Twitter at @distancehour and on Instagram at @socialdistancehappyhour. Episode ideas? Questions? Feedback? Email [email protected]

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Welcome to “That’s a Hard No” – the podcast about saying no (in all its forms) so you can become the authentic and empowered person that this world needs.

Quick disclosure: While Sarah is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, this podcast is in no way a replacement for one-on-one therapy with a mental health professional. If you are struggling with mental health issues, we welcome you on this journey, but also invite you to seek out professional help.

Looking for a therapist? Here’s a good place to start: psychologytoday.com

When you mindfully look for opportunities to say no, you learn that “no” isn’t always a negative thing. Often, it’s a positive.
Watch for all the little things in your daily life that are keeping you from achieving your goals or simply being happy. Start saying no to those things that aren’t serving you, as a way of practicing self-care.
There are countless types of nos. A no can be as simple as not answering the phone, not opening your email first thing in the morning, or not making unhealthy food choices.
Reframe your brain. Think of saying no as a win. Think about what you’ve made room for instead. What positive things can happen now that you’ve said no?
Check your gut. Ask yourself if you’re setting yourself up for a bigger problem down the road by saying yes now. If it feels wrong, it should probably be a no.
“No.” is a complete sentence – full stop. Resist the urge to precede it with “Sorry, but…”
Not saying no or avoiding a concrete no is the same as saying yes.

Resources & Recommendations

Book – Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life, by Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend (link to Amazon)
Caring Bridge – the platform Heather used to keep friends and family members up to date while going through cancer treatment (caringbridge.org)
Score Sheet – If you want to challenge yourself to say “no” at least once a day (like Heather did during her initial #yearofno), we highly recommend you keep track. Whether you use our downloadable PDF, jot a note in your planner, or download a habit tracker app on your phone, make sure you take note of when and how you say it, what’s happening, and how you feel.

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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/socialdistance/support