How many times each day would you guess you say the word “NO”?

And I don’t just mean how many times do you say “NO” to other people. (I’m betting that isn’t even a smudge of the total on you inner blackboard . . a humongous smudge, but a smudge none the less.)

BTW: Did you count how many times I said it in that last paragraph? 4 Times! And I wasn’t even trying.

What I want you to consider is: In addition to the “No’s” you give to other people, how often do you use the “N” word to curb your own enthusiasm in the brief span of 24 hours?

Silently.

Out loud.

Repeatedly . . no no no no no no NO!

Just a shake of the head in the privacy of your own space.

Or hurled into the bowels of the earth with a force only to be imagined.

Really. How many?

Bet you hadn’t much thought about it before, had you?

Word has it that “No” is the first word out of the mouths of babes. I guarantee it’s the one parents hear most often.

No. Nope. Nada. Nyet. Non. (You get the picture.)

This is obviously a much bigger word than it appears. I mean, an entire movie was made about it – with real actors. It wasn’t that great a movie . . but it WAS a movie! Go figure.

Okay, so we can agree that “NO” sits in a pretty high seat in most of our worlds. Now, just for a moment, let’s expand upon it.

Just for a moment, consider how often during the day you don’t exactly say “NO” . . but you sort of say it . . or you sort of think it . . or you sort of roll your thoughts around in it. (Strange how every time you do that, you end up not following the thoughts, right? Or, at the very least, they seem so much less possible than they did at the start. Oh well.)

It Is So Much More Than “NO”!

How often do the following words or phrases escape from your lips, your eyes, and your mental imaginings to limit your world:

Maybe not;

Never;

When pigs – or other barnyard animals – fly;

Not . . Not really . . Not so much;

I don’t think so . . Don’t even ask;

I can’t, and you can’t make me;

I won’t;

I shouldn’t

It wouldn’t be right if I;

I just couldn’t;

Not ever;

Negatory;

I don’t want to;

There is nothing that could convince me;

Hardly;

Negative;

No one;

Neither . . nor;

But;

Except;

And finally: STOP!

I’m willing to bet you can come up with more. I’m willing to bet I can, too, if I were to give the exercise more than the perfunctory couple minutes that spun themselves into this pile.

But you see what I mean, don’t you? NO is an ever-present part of our lives. Heaven forbid, it governs our lives!

When you look at all the rules and laws ever written to guide right livelihood in a family or community, it’s one thing after another after another of what’s not acceptable and what’s not permitted . . and how not to live.

The thing is: What if it weren’t? [click to continue…]

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