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At some point, we’ve all encountered the messaging that it pays to be a “Yes!” person. Whether from our parents, the endless barrage of self-help materials, or the 2008 titular classic starring Jim Carrey, the wisdom is always the same: say yes to life, push past your comfort zone, abandon your boundaries, put others first, take risks! And while there’s certainly value in these principles for some people and situations, there’s also the real risk of self-abandonment and burnout when we overcommit and forget to honor our own needs—when we forget how to say “No.”

In this episode of Nah-cademics, Brett and John say no to the popular philosophy of perpetual affirmatives and try to discern what a healthy balance looks like: between saying yes to life’s opportunities and others’ requests, and saying no to ignoring one’s own needs for rest, nourishment, and healthy boundaries.

-How do we overcome the tendency to overcommit in ways that lead to exhaustion and burnout? Are there benefits to saying yes to everything?

-In what ways do FOMO, scarcity mindset, and black-and-white thinking fuel this pattern? Can reframing an outward “no” into a “yes, to myself” make it easier to set boundaries?

-Does the mere mention of having needs and saying no to others on a recorded podcast fill John with extra anxiety?

As always, this podcast offers no definitive answers (well, except that last one—the answer is yes, absolutely yes); it’s just the ongoing negotiation of two negative Nellies. However, if you find yourself a stranger to your own needs, stretched in every direction by your inability to trust that “no” is okay, this podcast is for you.

Come, overthink with us!

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