There are different kinds of no:
There’s a kind of no that’s asserting a boundary, and there’s a kind of no that’s pushing people around.
For instance, this are things that are personal boundaries:
- Declining a job offer
- Saying no to a date
- Not sharing your computer with someone who wants to use it to check their email or look something up
- Not letting someone hug you
These things are usually pushing someone around:
- Telling someone they’re not allowed to talk to their friends
- Telling someone they can’t read particular books or blogs, or watch certain movies
- Telling someone they have to sit still and look normal and not wave their hands