Daily writing prompt

How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?

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Ideally, I would prefer to say no to many things, but I often find myself hesitating, leading to situations where I felt pressured to comply. When I was younger, I worried that refusing would make me seem unkind, fearing judgment from others. With age, I’ve grown to value my own opinion over that of the crowd. However, the real test of my resolve is when family is involved; there, my resolve wavers, and guilt often follows my refusal.

Let me share a tale of a legendary king named Nala, celebrated not only for his striking looks but his virtuous nature as well. Nala’s generosity was such that it was rumored he was unacquainted with the word ‘no.’ The Sanskrit letter ‘na,’ representing negation, seemed absent from his lexicon, leading to speculation whether he had ever crossed paths with it or, having once known it, had since forgotten the letter. This verse, rich in alliteration with words like ‘chakāra’ and ‘nakāraH,’ plays on the idea of his boundless benevolence – नाक्षराणि पठता किमपाठि प्रस्मृतैः किमथवा पठितोऽपि। इत्थमर्थिचयसंशयदोलाखेलनं खलु चकार नकारः।। (nAkSharANi paThatA kim apAThi prasmRRitaiH kim athavA paThito’pi | ittham arthichaya saMshayadolAkhelanaM khalu chakāra nakāraH ||)

Now, I am neither King Nala nor endowed with his legendary benevolence. Therefore, I am determined to assertively decline anything that diverges from my goals. Let’s see if I can succeed in this endeavor. :)