The Life-Changing Power of Saying No | Dr. Vanessa Patrick

The Courageous Life

Have you ever said yes when you really wanted to say no?
Has saying no ever been a challenge for you?
These are such common experiences that today’s guest, Dr. Vanessa Patrick has written a powerful new book that addresses them head on: The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No that Puts You in Charge of Your Life.
Dr. Patrick researches what she calls the empowered refusal, which is a way of saying no that stems from your identity, who you are, what you care about, and how you want to show up in the world.
Today we'll unpack the art and science of the empowered refusal. Or put more simply - how to say no effectively.
In this episode Vanessa will share:

• More insight from her research about why so many people say yes, when they really want to say no
• Common fears and obstacles that get in the way of saying no effectively
• How to get clarity about what really matters to you and leveraging to say no from an empowered place
• The importance of how you say no, including powerful insights about the importance of aligning body language, facial expression, and tone to communicate a more effective no.
• How the empowered refusal can actually strengthen your reputation.
• Vanessa will also share language that can be helpful for saying no, including her practice of creating what she calls personal policies.
• And we'll get into a conversation about good work, and why learning to say no effectively creates the opportunity for work that leads to greater meaning and fulfillment.

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:

• Gentle Power: Shifting the Way we Define True Strength | Dr. Elisabet Lahti
• Letting Go of Perfectionism and Finding Happiness | Tal Ben-Shahar

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More about Vanessa:
Dr. Vanessa Patrick is a Professor of Marketing and the Associate Dean for Research at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. She has a PhD in Business from the University of Southern California and an MBA in marketing from Bombay University in India. Patrick has published dozens of research articles in top-tier academic journals in psychology, marketing, and management, and popular accounts of her work have appeared in the New York Times, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, LA Times, Business Week, Forbes and others. In her research, she investigates strategies to achieve personal mastery and inspire everyday excellence in oneself and others. You can learn more about Vanessa at vanessapatrick.net

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