Episode 6

Saying No Is Not Mean

How many times have we said yes when every part of us was screaming no? Not because we wanted to but because saying no felt mean, selfish, or just too hard. In this episode Marilyn gets honest about her own experience with saying yes to everything, the burnout it created, and the moment she realized that saying yes to the wrong things was actually doing everyone a disservice including herself.

This episode is a real and honest conversation about why saying no is not mean. It is actually one of the most responsible and respectful things we can do. For ourselves, for the people we love, and for the opportunities and clients that deserve our very best.

Because saying no to the things that do not fit is exactly how we make room for the things that do.

In this episode:

  • Why so many of us struggle to say no and where that guilt actually comes from
  • How saying yes to the wrong things in business costs everyone involved not just us
  • Why our loved ones deserve our real presence not our exhausted obligatory one
  • The power of not right now as a kind and honest alternative to yes
  • How to use the bubble method when the guilt of saying no feels overwhelming
  • Five practical tools for saying no with confidence and without apology

This week's takeaway: Before saying yes ask yourself one honest question. Can I show up fully for this? If the answer is no then no is a complete sentence. And not right now is a kind and honest one. Saying no to the wrong things is how we protect our best yes.

Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com

#PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #SayingNo #Boundaries #BurnoutRecovery #YouAreAllowed #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #SelfRespect #PersonalGrowth #NotRightNow #ProtectYourEnergy #EmotionalHealth #ShowUpFully #GrowthMindset

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Put it in a bubble
Life, Mindset & Everything In Between

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About your host

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Marilyn Barker

Marilyn Barker is an author, speaker, business consultant, motivational coach, and the creator of Put It in a Bubble™. Through her books, podcast, workshops, and coaching, she helps people create space, shift their perspective, process difficult moments, and take intentional steps forward.
Put It in a Bubble™ is built around a simple idea: you do not have to carry everything at once. Marilyn encourages listeners to pause, decide what deserves their energy, take action where needed, and release what they no longer need to hold onto.
Her approach is practical, encouraging, and grounded in real life. The goal is not to ignore hard things or force positivity, but to handle challenges with more awareness, stronger self-talk, greater resilience, and a clearer sense of what comes next.
Marilyn is the founder of Barker Business Services LLC, which serves as the umbrella for her consulting, speaking, educational resources, books, and the Put It in a Bubble™ brand.

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