A short YouTube video (Wednesday's Wirings) by Kim Zoller offering practical guidance on how to say no without damaging relationships: express appreciation, clarify current commitments, offer alternative ways to help, and prioritize self-care ("you cannot pour from an empty cup"). A brief interjection by a second speaker appears at the end.
Are you ever concerned about saying no without burning bridges? Hi, I'm Kim Zoller, and welcome to Wednesday's Wirings. You know, saying no to a lot of requests can cause a lot of discomfort, but it's often necessary. So I express appreciation for what's for. That someone asked me, and I talk to people about how committed I am, and I ask where I can help them with the time. You know, our time and energy is limited, and so it's okay to set boundaries respectfully and. And remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup. You know, many times I will literally say to someone, how important is it? Let me share what I have on my plate, and then I talk through it with them. And when I do that, it isn't just like saying no, because, you know, when we do that, we can also get that reputation of, like, that person doesn't ever want to do anything, so there are ways to do it. And remember what I said before. You cannot pour from an empty cup. So it's so important.
To remember that. Sam.
