We are taught to be polite, helpful, and agreeable. But sometimes we say yes when we really want to say no—to extra work, to invitations, to favors. This week, we talk about the difficulty of setting boundaries, the guilt that follows, and the quiet freedom of protecting our own time.

Discussion Questions:

Expression Bag:https://zh.purasbar.com/post/38799

1. When was the last time you said yes to something but wished you had said no? What was it?

2. Why do you think we find it hard to refuse others—fear of disappointment, habit, or something else? 

3. Do you think saying no gets easier with age and experience? Have you noticed this in yourself?

5. Picture that: Everyone would always say yes or no direct directly and freely, how would our life change? 

6. If you could give one piece of advice to someone who struggles with setting boundaries, what would it be?

There's a typo in Q5:"Everyone would always say yes or no direct directly and freely" The "direct" should be related.

4. Is there a polite way to refuse in Chinese culture, and do you think they are helpful? How does it differ from Western styles of refusal?