Growing up as a child and then my teenage age, one thing I find difficult to say is actually no. Most of the times when am so busy at home with work and then my neighbor reached out to me to help them do something, instead of saying no am busy I end up accepting the task they gave to me which either means i have to abandon my mom's work or hasten it up which will eventually cause me to make lots of mistakes.
Saying no was indeed something I struggled with and it caused me a lot. I felt like if I say no to an elderly person it means am being disrespectful to them so I always want to show them am a good child. Because of this my neighbors often send me on errands knowing am not going to reject their offer no matter how busy I may be. At times, I may end up forgetting I was sent and get carried away doing other things but when I try apologizing they get angry at me thinking I did it intentionally not knowing i was choked with other work loads and forgot to carry out theirs.
When things was going out of hand, my mom had to intervene and that was when little by little with her teachings I began to muster the courage to say no. I remember this particular day, during the harmattan season, mom asked me to wash my dirty clothes early before it gets extremely cold out of which I did pack the clothes but just immediately I soaked the wears my neighbor called again and immediately I left my washing and went to attend to her call.
Mommy was inside so I thought I would quickly do what my neighbor needed me to do and go continue with my clothes but then it took a long time and before I was done the weather was getting evenly cold. I thought my mom would come help me wash the clothes fast but she never helped rather she insisted I must wash all those clothes that same day since I already soaked them in water. To cut the story short before I finished that day I was literally shivering as a result of cold but I finished it ever since that day whenever am doing something inside or I feel like resting and am called up I always tell them am busy.
I learned saying no the hard way and am glad my mom helped me cause I realized it's better to say no politely than saying yes to what will cause my peace and I may end up not fulfilling the task making me a liar. So I prefer to say no now and it has indeed helped me a lot compared to before.