Do you say “yes” when every cell in your body is screaming “absolutely not”? Same. It’s so easy to slip into being the “sure, no worries” girl – the helpful one, the reliable one, the one who squeezes one more thing into an already stretched day… and then wonders why she feels resentful, exhausted and weirdly invisible. That’s exactly why I created The Big Book of NO: 107 Guilt-Free Ways to Say No and Mean It.
So I made myself a promise: I was going to get better at saying NO – and I’d find a way to make it feel like self-care, not a character flaw.
That promise turned into a project.
And that project has finally turned into a book.
Why I Wrote a Whole Book About “No” I see this pattern over and over again – in my coaching clients, my friends, women I talk to online, and in my own story:
- We’re tired.
- We’re over-committed.
- We’re quietly furious with ourselves for saying yes when we didn’t want to.
And yet we still feel guilty when we say no.
I didn’t want to write a heavy, textbook-style boundaries manual. I wanted something you could:
- leave on your coffee table or desk
- flip open in 3 seconds
- and feel just a tiny bit braver about protecting your time and energy.
From that I created a cheeky, full-colour, feel-good “boundary buddy” you can actually hold in your hands.
What’s Inside The Big Book of NO
This isn’t a wall of text. It’s a visual, playful, slightly sassy little boundary bible.
Inside you’ll find:
- 107 full-colour pages of NO energy – from gentle let-downs to gloriously savage hard passes
- Each page has a bold, feminine illustration paired with a different “no” moment
- One-sided printing so your favourite NOs can be coloured, framed, gifted or ripped out and slapped on the fridge (no show-through on the back)
- A focus on self-care, self-respect and permission – not shame, criticism or “fixing yourself”
It’s printed as a square 8.5″ x 8.5″ paperback, so it feels like a proper little gift book – the sort of thing you’d be happy to give a friend who really needs to stop being the default yes-person.
Who This Book Is For
I had a few people in mind when I made this:
- The people-pleaser who says yes and then lies awake replaying the whole conversation.
- The over-giver who is secretly exhausted but still feels bad for resting.
- The “nice girl” who doesn’t want to be mean – she just wants to be honest.
- The midlife woman who has finally had enough of being the one who always picks up the slack.
And honestly? I wrote it for myself too.
It’s as much a reminder for me as it is for you.
How to Use The Big Book of NO
There’s no right or wrong way to use this book. A few ideas:
- Flip and land.
When you feel that familiar pressure to say yes, open the book at random and let that page be your “no” energy for the day. - Pre-reply ritual.
Before you answer a text, email, favour or invitation, flick to a page, take a breath and borrow one of the NO vibes. - Desk or bedside companion.
Leave it somewhere visible so you’re reminded daily that you’re allowed to have boundaries. - Gift it.
Wrap it up for a friend, sister, colleague or client who is always there for everyone else.
Over time, those tiny moments of choosing “no” add up. You start to feel clearer, lighter, more yourself.
Where to Get It
A Little Love Note From Me to You
If you’re reading this thinking, “Yep, that’s me, I’m the one who can’t say no” – this book isn’t here to shame you.
It’s here to sit beside you, make you smile, and gently remind you:
- You are allowed to disappoint people sometimes.
- You are allowed to change your mind.
- You are allowed to protect your peace.
Because “no” isn’t mean, cold or selfish.
It’s self-respect. It’s self-care.
And you’re absolutely allowed to mean it.
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