EPISODE · Aug 30, 2026 · 11 MIN
Does Learning to Say No Start With Admitting Your Yes Problem?
from The Stoic Compass
Epictetus, Carl Jung, and Laozi examine why people who struggle to say no are often not lacking courage, but refusing to be honest about the fear and identity wrapped up in their constant yes. Through their debate, you'll discover that learning to refuse starts not with willpower but with the uncomfortable work of naming what you've been getting from your exhaustion—safety, approval, a sense of being needed—and grieving the version of yourself you built around it. By the end, you'll have a single practice to begin: identifying one obligation you said yes to out of fear rather than choice, and finally looking at what that fear was protecting. 📖 Pay Attention by C. Trebue — available on Amazon: eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GR8WLMPC Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GVV46SWF 📬 Subscribe to The Daily Practice newsletter: https://thedailypractice33.substack.com
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Epictetus, Carl Jung, and Laozi examine why people who struggle to say no are often not lacking courage, but refusing to be honest about the fear and identity wrapped up in their constant yes. Through their debate, you'll discover that learning to refuse starts not with willpower but with the uncomfortable work of naming what you've been getting from your exhaustion—safety, approval, a sense of being needed—and grieving the version of yourself you built around it. By the end, you'll have a si...
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Does Learning to Say No Start With Admitting Your Yes Problem?
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