Have you ever noticed how quickly the word “no” rises in you… long before anyone else has a chance to weigh in?
It’s subtle. Automatic.
The other day, I caught myself doing exactly that. I was reflecting on a possibility - a small desire, really - and before the idea had space to breathe, something in me shut it down.
No, you can’t. Not now. That’s unrealistic.
It’s a strange sort of self-protection. A way of staying safe, or steady, or predictable. But it also keeps us from something deeper: expansion; aliveness; impact. The parts of life we quietly long for but rarely give ourselves permission to reach for.
I’ve seen this often in clients, too. They’ll speak about change, or a new chapter, or a dream they’ve carried for years… and then in the very next breath, they talk themselves out of it.
Because they’ve grown used to that automatic inner “no.”
And the thing is, we rarely question it. We rarely pause long enough to notice the deeper rhythm beneath it.
The restlessness, the ache for something more vibrant, more aligned, more meaningful.
So here’s a gentle invitation.
The next time you feel that automatic “no” rise up… stop for a moment. Sit with it. Ask yourself, Why am I saying no to myself? What am I holding back from fully imagining? What is it I’m protecting… and is that protection still serving me?
Sometimes “no” isn’t wisdom.
It’s habit. And habits can be rewritten.
You deserve the spaciousness to dream again. To imagine expansion. To take the next step that moves you toward a more honest expression of your life.
If this stirs something in you, feel free to reply, I always value hearing where these moments land.
Final thought. You’re not wrong for wanting more; the belief that “it’s too late” is just another version of that inner “no.”
Photo by Chris Riggs on Unsplash