You owe no explanations or justifications for your no. There do not have to be reasons that you are obliged to share. Your no is your no.

 

If you don’t want to have a drink or go out for dinner or go for a run or whatever it is, do not get drawn in to rationalising your behaviour to someone else. It’s your business.

 

Equally, if someone says no to you, do not expect a justification for it. No is just no.

 

We need to practice the empty space where a justification normally happens.

 

What matters is we respect the decision we get and we move on and hope that others respect ours too.

 

When I decided to go alcohol free, I lined up loads of reasons that I duly handed out with every conversation.

 

In hindsight it sounded like I was trying to justify my frankly, excellent (and not bad) behaviour. Like I had done something wrong. Like I needed to publicly declare a reason that in order to back up my decision.

 

I need no justification at that’s it. I don’t drink. The end.