| How to Buy Stocks (for Beginners) Posted: 02 Feb 2017 04:00 PM PST When you buy stocks, you are buying a small part of company. Twenty years ago, stocks were primarily bought with the advice of a stockbroker. Nowadays, anyone with a computer can buy or sell stocks with brokerage firm. If you are new to buying stocks, you may feel overwhelmed. But, with a little knowledge, you can buy your own stocks and make money from your investments. EditEstablishing a Framework for Investing - Set your goals. Spend some time thinking about why you are considering investing in stocks. Are you investing to build an emergency fund for the future, to buy a home, or pay for college expenses? Are you investing for retirement?[1]
- It's a good idea to write out your motivation. Try quantify it in dollars, considering how much money you need for your goals.
- For example, purchasing a home might require a down-payment and closing costs of $40,000. Retirement might cost $1 million or more.
- Most people have more than one investment goal. Those goals often vary in priority and timing. For example, you may want to buy a house in three years, pay for a child's education in fifteen years, and retire in thirty-five years. Documenting your investment goals will clarify your thinking and help you focus on the goal.
- Determine your time frame. Your investment goals will determine the time during which your investments will remain in place. The longer investments can stay in place, the greater the probability of positive returns.[2]
- If your goal is to have money to buy a house in three years, your time frame, or "investment horizon" is relatively short. If you investing to fund your retirement 30 years from now, your investment horizon is much longer.
- The S&P 500 is a collection of 500 of the most widely held stocks. There were only four ten year periods between 1926 and 2011 where the S&P 500 as a whole produced a loss. For holding periods of fifteen years or more, there were no losses.[3] If you bought and held these stocks over the long term, you would have made money.
- By contrast, holding the S&P 500 for just a single year would have produced a loss 24 times in the 85-year period between 1926 and 2014.[4] Over a short period, stock are extremely volatile.[5] As a consequence, investing for short time periods is more risky than investing for longer time periods. You can gain more if you've invested well. You can lose everything if you've invested poorly.
- Understand your risk tolerance. All investments have risk. There is always a possibility that you will lose some or all of your money. Stocks are no different. You are not guaranteed a return on your investment, nor are you guaranteed to receive your initial investment back. How much risk you are willing to take is called your "risk tolerance."[6]
 - Before making any investment, you need to ask yourself, "How much money am I willing to lose if something goes wrong?"
- In most cases, the more risk you take, the higher the potential return. But, there is also a greater likelihood of loss.
- For example, an investment that you expect to double in value within a month is more risky than an investment that doubles in ten years.
- No investment is worth losing sleep at night. If achieving your goals requires investments that make you uneasy, review your objectives. Then, adjust either the time frame or your goals themselves.
- For example, imagine your goal was to save enough money to build a down-payment of $40,000 for a $250,000 house in 3 years. You might revise the goal to $30,000 for a $200,000 in 3 years. Or, you might consider a longer time frame. $40,000 for a $250,000 house in 5 years might be more achievable. Or, you might consider a combination of reducing the goal and extending the time horizon.
- One of the first rules of investing is to avoid losses when possible. Do not take on investment risk when it is unnecessary to reach your goals.
- Calculate the investments needed to reach your goals. Use one of the many free investment or retirement calculators found on the internet.[7] Calculate the rate of return that you must earn and the investment needed to reach your goals.
- For example, imagine you need $30,000 in three years, but can only invest $500 per month. You will need to earn a whopping 38.2% on your investment each of the three years to reach this goal. This means that you must accept an extraordinary amount of risk. Most people would consider such investments a bad decision.
- A better choice would be to extend your time horizon to four and one-half years. This would require a much more achievable and safe return rate 0f 4.8%.
- You could also increase your monthly investment from $500 to $775. This would let you reach your $30,000 goal with a realistic rate of return of 5.037%.
- Or, you could reduce your financial goal of $30,000 in 3 years to $19,621 in three years while investing the same $500 a month. To reach this goal, your return would only need to be 6% each year.
EditChoosing Investments - Understand different types of investments. The next task to select which investment is most appropriate for you. An important first step is to understand the different types of investments available.
 - You can buy shares of specific companies. Buying shares of an individual company means that you are an owner of that company. As a result, your return will be like the owner of any other business.[8] If the company sees increases in its sales, profits, and market share, the value of the company will normally increase. This is especially true over a long term.
- In the short term, the market price of the company depends on how people feel about the future of the company. Emotions, rumors, and perceptions will drive changes in value.[9] The prices at which you buy and sell will determine whether you will make a profit.
- You can also invest in mutual funds. Mutual funds allow many people to invest together in many different stocks. The result is lower risk, but also lower return, especially in the short run.[10]
- In recent years, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) have become popular. Many people call these "index funds". These are like mutual funds. They are portfolios of stocks that typically aren't overseen by a manager. Most seek to copy the price movement of an index, such as the S&P 500, Vanguard Total Stock Market, or the iShares Russell 2000.[11]
- Like individual stocks, ETFs are traded on the market. The value of an ETF can change over the course of a single day.[12]
- Some ETFs track specific industries, commodities, bonds, or currencies.
- One advantage of index funds is that they are diverse investments. They reflect the various holdings that make up the index.[13] Some index funds are also available for little or no commission. This makes them an affordable way to invest.[14]
- Understand key terms. Many people rely on financial news to understand the performance of different stocks or the market in general. To get the most out of these information sources, its important to understand several key terms.
- Earnings per share: the part of a company's profits that is paid out to stockholders. If you're hoping to earn dividends on your investment, this is important![15]
- Market capitalization ("market cap"): the total value of all a company's shares. It represents a company's overall value.[16]
- Return on equity: the amount of income a company generates, relative to the amount invested by stockholders. This is useful for comparing firms in the same industry to determine which are most profitable.[17]
- Beta: A measure of a stock's volatility, relative to the market as a whole. A useful measure for assessing risk.[18] As a rule of thumb, beta numbers below 1 represent fairly low volatility. Numbers above 1 suggest higher volatility.
- Moving average: The average price per share of some company over a specific period of time. This can be useful in determining whether the current price of a stock is a good deal.[19]
- Pay attention to analysts. Analyzing a stock can be time consuming and confusing, especially for first timers. As such, you may want to use research from stock analysts. Usually, an analyst watches specific companies closely to assess its performance.
- There are free, reputable websites that provide synopses of analysts' opinions on companies.[20][21]
- Analysts often provide advice, in the form one or two word recommendations, for each specific stock. Some of these are quite obvious, such as "buy," "sell," or "hold." Others, such as "sector underperformer" are less intuitive.[22]
- Different analysis firms use different words to make their recommendations. Financial websites often provide guides that explain the terms used by each firm.[23]
- Determine your investing strategy. Once you've gathered your information, it's time to think about your investment strategy. Different investors have different approaches, and there are several factors to consider.
 - Diversity of investments. Diversification is the degree to which you spread your dollars over different investments. Investing all your money in a small number of companies can lead to a big payoff if those companies perform well. But, this approach also exposes you to a lot more risk. The more diverse your investments, the lower the risk.[24] The more diverse your investments, the lower the risk.
- Compounding. This is the result of consistent re-investment of any earnings you receive. If you reinvest your earnings, you will then generate more earnings on those original dividends.[25] Some companies have programs that allow you to do this automatically.[26]
- Investing versus trading. Investing is a long term strategy that aims at earning money based on long-term growth rates. Prices rise and fall, but hopefully rise in the long run. Trading is a more active process. It involves trying to pick stocks that will rise in price over the short term, and then quickly selling them.[27] This "buy low, sell high" approach can result in big returns, but requires constant attention ad higher risk.
- Traders try to gauge people's emotions about a company by interpreting historical price movements. Their goal is to buy while the stock price is rising and selling before the price begins to fall. Trading over short periods is high-risk and not for novice investors.[28]
EditBuying Your First Stocks - Consider a full service broker. There are many ways you can make your stock purchases. Each comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. If you have little or no stock buying experience then you may want to start with a full service firm. Full service brokerage firms are more expensive, but they come with expert advice.[29]
- For instance, your broker's job is to guide you through the stock buying process. He or she is there to answer questions. You may ask things like, "What stocks do you recommend based on my risk tolerance?" and "Do you have research reports on the stocks that I want to buy?"
- There are many full-service firms to choose from so you can ask around for a recommendation. For instance, a friend or family may have a broker whom they trust or have used for a long time. If not, then there are some larger, more reputable full service firms that you can explore. Some of these firms include Edward Jones, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Raymond James, and UBS.
- Keep in mind that if you do go with a full service broker, you are usually going to be paying larger commissions. Commissions are fees that you pay any time you buy or sell a stock.[30]
- For example, if you buy $5,000 worth of Disney stock, your broker might charge a $150.00 commission for executing the trade.
- Consider a discount broker. If you don't want to pay higher commissions for your stock market activity, you can use a discount or online brokerage firm.[31]
- The disadvantage of a discount broker is that you won't get the advice that you would from a full service brokerage firm. The advantage is that you will pay less and be able to buy your stocks online.[32]
- Some reputable discount brokerage firms include Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, Interactive Brokers, and E*Trade.
- Look into direct purchase options. These plans allow investors to buy stock directly from the company of their choice. They come in two varieties: direct investment plans (DIPs) and dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs).[33]
- These plans allow you to buy stock without a broker.
- Both are inexpensive and easy ways for investors to buy stock with smaller amounts of money at regular intervals. Not all companies have these options.
- For example, John enrolls in a DRIP plan that allows him to invest $50.00 in Coca-Cola common stock every two weeks. At the end of the year, he will have invested $1200 in the stock and paid no commissions.
- A disadvantage of investing through a DRIP or DIP can be the paperwork. If you invest in many companies, you'll have to complete forms and review the statements for each one.
- For instance, if you invest in 20 DRIP or DIP programs, then that's 20 quarterly statements that you are going to receive. On the other hand, if you are investing $1000 every two weeks, that is a lot of commission saved.
- Open an account. Regardless of which option you choose, your next step will be to open an account. You'll need to fill out some forms and possibly deposit money.[34] The specifics will vary based on which option you choose for making your purchases.
- If you use a full service firm, pick a broker you are comfortable sharing your private financial information with. If possible, meet face to face so you can explains your needs and goals in specific details. The more information he has, the more likely he will solve your needs.
- If you use a discount brokerage firm, you will need to complete some online paperwork.[35] You may need to mail in other forms that need physical signatures. You may also need to make a deposit depending upon the dollar value of your initial trade.
- If you invest through a DRIP or DIP, you will need to complete online and physical documents before buying your first stock. You will also need to deposit cash for any transactions before they occur.
- Place an order. Once you've got an account set up, making first purchase should be quick and easy. Once again, though, the details will vary based on how you make your purchase.
 - If you have chosen a full service firm, then you simply call your broker. He or she will buy the stock for you. Your account will already be open, so the broker will ask you for your account number. He or she will make sure that you are one of the account holders. Then the broker will confirm your order before he or she places it into the system. Listen carefully. Brokers are humans and can make mistakes when putting in an order.
- If you have chosen a discount firm, you will most likely place the trade online.[36] When doing this make sure that you follow the directions carefully. Don't confuse stock price with the amount of money you want to invest. For example, if you want to invest $5,000.00 in a stock trading at $45 a share then you DO NOT want to put an order in for 5,000 shares of stock. This will cost you $225,000.00 as opposed to $5,000.00.
- If you are using a DRIP or DIP, you can find the enrollment paperwork on the company's website. Otherwise, you can call the company's shareholder division and request that they send the paperwork to you.
- Watch your investments. It is important to recognize that stocks and the stock market as a whole are volatile. Values move up and down, especially in the short term. If you see that one of your investments consistently performs poorly, it may be time to consider a change in your portfolio.
- Prices reflect human emotions. They will react to rumors, misinformation, expectations, and concerns, whether valid or not.[37] There is little benefit to watching the price of your stock move during the day or week if you are investing for a time frame of a year or longer.
- Monitoring too closely encourages impulse decisions, which may exaggerate losses. Watch your stock performance over the long term.
- At the same time, recognize that something can go wrong with one of the companies that you own. For instance, if a company loses a major lawsuit or has to compete with a new entry into their market, prices may fall dramatically. In such cases, you need to consider selling.
- There are many helpful books, magazines, and websites about stocks and the stock market. It is a good idea to do some research on your own before making any purchases.
- Before buying stocks, you might want to try paper-trading for a while. This is simulated stock trading. Keep track of stock prices, and make records of the buying and selling decisions you would make if you were actually trading. Check to see if your investment decisions would have paid off. Once you've gotten comfortable with how the market functions, try trading stocks for real.[38]
- All investments have risk. Do no invest more than you can afford to lose.
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| How to Tell the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad Posted: 02 Feb 2017 08:00 AM PST Frogs and toads may seem similar, but they are quite different. There are many physical differences, such as differences in skin, color, and body type. There are also differences in behavior. A frog will need to be in close proximity to a body of water, for instance, while a toad can be further away. Frogs also tend to hop higher than toads. With some attention to detail, you should be able to tell a toad from a frog. EditExamining Physical Traits - Look at the hind legs. You can tell the difference between a frog and a toad by the length of its legs. If you can get close enough, get a good look at the back legs specifically.[1]
- A frog's hind legs are very long, as frogs hop more frequently than toads. A frog's hind legs will be bigger than its head and body.
- A toad's hind legs will be smaller, as toads tend to crawl. Their hind legs will be shorter than their heads and bodies.
- Examine the feet. Frogs have webbed feet, as they spend most of their life in water. They will usually have webbed back feet, and some will have webbed front feet. You may also see sticky pads on a frog's feet. Toad feet are generally not webbed and do not have pads.[2]
- Consider the shape. Frogs tend to be slender and athletic in appearance. Toads, on the other hand, are shorter and stubbier.[3]
- A slender looking amphibian, with longer limbs, is probably a frog.
- A short, chubby amphibian, with smaller legs, is likely a toad.
- Take note of the skin. Frog skin is a lot smoother than toad skin. A toad's skin will be bumpy in appearance. While a frog will have smooth, rubbery skin, a toad may look like it's covered in warts.[4]
- Look at the color. In general, frogs are lighter colored than toads. They tend to look greener. While toads may have a greenish skin, they tend to be darker overall than frogs.[5]
- Toads come in various shades that range from a dark green to an olive green.
- Frogs are on the more yellowish, brighter side of the green spectrum. Frogs may have a yellow-olive color.
- However, do not rely on color alone. Always consider other factors, as some frogs do have a brownish green appearance.
EditConsidering Behavior - Watch how the animal jumps. Both frogs and toads jump. Frogs, however, tend to jump more often and much higher.[6]
- Frogs take very high jumps, and can also jump great lengths.
- Toads take very small hops and lack the ability to jump very far.
- Notice if the animal ever crawls. Toads are much more likely to crawl than hop. Crawling is a toad's main form of movement. You will rarely see a frog crawling. An animal that is crawling is very likely to be a toad.[7]
- Always consider other factors, as an injured frog may crawl.
- Consider where you found the animal. Frogs need to be close to water to survive, while toads can spend a lot of time out of water. An animal that stays close to water is likely to be a frog. If you find an animal far away from water, it is probably a toad. A frog is unlikely to wander far from a source of water.[8]
EditAvoiding Problems with Frogs and Toads - Dim your lights to reduce noise from frogs. Frogs can make a lot of noise at night, especially when they're breeding. Frogs eat insects and bright lights can attract insects near your home. This may also cause frogs to gather in your backyard.[9]
- Keep things like your porch light off at night.
- You can also use curtains at night to keep light from inside your house from attracting bugs.
- Keep dogs away from frogs and toads. Some frogs and toads may be toxic to dogs. If a dog picks up a toad in its mouth, toxins could be released that are poisonous to your dog. If you see your dog carrying a toad, take your dog to a vet immediately. This is a medical emergency.[10]
- Symptoms of toxins from a toad include excessive drooling, pawing at the mouth or eyes, seizures, difficulty breathing, and unsteady moving.
- If your pet has any of these symptoms, it needs immediate treatment.
- Wash your hands after handling frogs or toads. In general, refrain from handling wildlife. However, if you touched a frog or toad, wash your hands afterwards.[11]
- If a young child picked up a frog or toad, make sure to have them wash their hands.
- Do not take in wild frogs and toads as pets. It's never a good idea to take in a wild animal as a pet. Frogs and toads in the wild are not raised in captivity, and will not take well to being captured. They may also carry diseases. If you want a pet frog or toad, get one from your local pet store.
- Care for a pet toad or frog properly. Pet stores do sell frogs and toads as pets. If you want a pet frog or toad, make sure you care for it properly. Provide the right environment and shelter for your pet.[12]
- You will have to clean your frog or toad's tank every day. Dirty tanks can pose a major health risk for a frog or toad.
- Frogs and toads need a varied diet. You can buy food from a pet store, composed of crickets and mealworms, but you will also need to give your frog or toad plenty of other insects to survive. You will need to feed a frog or toad things like grasshoppers, snails, and silkworms as well.
- Limit touching a reptile pet. Even one from a pet story can carry diseases. Wash your hands after handling your pet, do not clean their cage in your bathroom or kitchen, and do not kiss or cuddle a pet frog or toad.[13]
- Some frogs and toads may be poisonous. Check with your local Department of Natural Resources office for help identifying potentially poisonous amphibians in your area.
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| How to Know When to Say No Posted: 02 Feb 2017 12:00 AM PST Knowing when to say no takes skill and practice. Learning these skill can help keep you safe, build and maintain strong and healthy relationships, and be able to identify the best opportunities that come your way while ignoring things that are a waste of your time and talents. In order to know when to say no, it is important to learn more about your personal limits as well as to understand how to identify opportunities that are too good to be true. EditKnowing Your Limits - Reflect on your personal boundaries. A boundary is the line between what is OK and what is not OK. Consider your physical, emotional, and mental boundaries. [1] Physical boundaries involve privacy, space, and your body. This may be dictated both by your personal preferences and philosophies, your culture, and things such as your faith.
- For example, what kinds of activities you are willing to engage in on a first date. One person may be only comfortable with a kiss, while another is eager for more. (One is not better or worse than another, just different.)
- Boundaries can change. Time, circumstances, and so on can change what a person's boundaries are one way or another.
- Emotional boundaries are where you set the line between your responsibility for your own feelings versus others' feelings. Mental boundaries involve your thoughts, values, and opinions.[2]
- You might find it helpful to write down your thoughts and feelings about your personal boundaries. Then you can return to the list in the future to help you make difficult decisions.
- Reflect on any times where you have said "yes" but regretted it. Take time to write down or otherwise reflect upon any times in the past that you have gone beyond what makes you feel comfortable. Ask yourself about the people involved and the situations where these things happened. Examining past events this way can help you to make better choices next time.
- Listen to your feelings. Your feelings have a great deal to tell you about where you should set your limits. Anything that makes you feel resentment or discomfort should raise a red flag for you. Sometimes anger, too, can be the result of going beyond your personal limits.[3] If a situation or personal interaction makes you feel resentful or a level of discomfort that is not reasonable, then ask yourself what is causing that feeling.
- Do you feel taken advantage of or not appreciated? Are you responding that way because of someone else's expectations about you? Feelings of resentment and discomfort can both be signals that you are not setting limits where you should.[4]
- Give yourself permission to stay within your self-defined limits. Many people who are learning about their own limits so they can know when to say no find that they experience feelings like self-doubt, fear, and guilt.[5] Remember that it is not selfish to say no, and that saying no can be a way to take care of your health and well-being.[6]
- Try a "boundary building" exercise. These exercises can help you see what having "strong but flexible" boundaries – what experts say are the best kind – feels like. Psychologists have developed exercises you can use to help visualize your boundaries are so that you will know the right times to say no.
- Choose a type of boundary you are interested in exploring – mental, physical, or emotional. Focus on this type of boundary while you do this exercise.
- Close your eyes and imagine you are in the middle of a circle you have drawn around yourself. Make the circle as big or small as you want – give yourself the amount of space that feels best for you.
- Imagine your circle turning into a wall. Make your imaginary wall out of anything you like – thick glass, grey cement, bricks and mortar – just make sure that your wall is strong.
- Now imagine yourself having the power to be in control of the wall. You can melt a temporary hole to let something in or out, you can open a tiny window, or you can pull a brick out of the wall to make an opening. Think about being in control of your wall, and about being safe and powerful inside the circle you have built.
- Stay inside the wall for one minute.
- Repeat the exercise once a day.[7]
- Practice saying no. Knowing when to say no takes time and practice, and over time you can learn to hone your skills so that you are better able to recognize the situations where you can and should say no. Practice saying no clearly so that the person you are speaking to isn't confused and thinks you will say yes later. Give a brief but clear reason for saying no, and be honest rather than using an excuse.
- Be respectful when you say no – you can let the person or organization know that you value them and what they are doing but that you are not able to do what they ask.[8]
EditIdentifying Your Personal Priorities - Identify your priorities. In order to make a good decision about when to say no, you will want to identify what your own personal priorities are in life. To do this, take some time to reflect on the top 10 things that you feel make your life worth living. Don't worry about choosing things you "should" choose - this list is about what makes you happy.
- After completing the list, put it away.
- A few days later, write another list (without looking at your first list). Put that list away.
- Repeat again a few days later.
- Look at all three lists and combine them into one. Note where ideas repeat, and combine items that seem similar to you.
- Rank your priorities.[9]
- Use the final list as a resource to help you make decisions by asking yourself how different decisions might effect your priorities.
- Say no when you already have too much to do. If you are feeling overloaded already, saying yes to one more thing can have very negative consequences for the work you are doing, for your physical and mental wellbeing, and for your relationships. Small things in your work might start to slip, you might get sick or have a breakdown, or your relationships with friends and family might suffer.[10][11]
- Remember that your health and well-being is ultimately more important than taking on another task.
- Be realistic about your own capacities. Business experts say that people are often too optimistic about how quickly and well they will be able to accomplish something. Take the time to reflect honestly about whether or not you have the skills, abilities, and time to do what is being asked. Don't say yes thinking that you can "change the rules" later on. Be clear and honest from the start with yourself and others so that you know when to say no – and know when the perfect time to say yes comes along.
- Take the time you need to make the right decision. If you are not sure about whether saying yes is a good idea, honestly tell the person asking that you are not sure. Then take some time – even a few days – to reflect, research, and seek advice.[12]
- Make a pro and con list keeping your long-term goals in mind. Sit down and make a list – on paper, on your computer, or even on your mobile phone – of the reasons to say yes and the reasons to say no to the opportunity before you. Doing this can help you make a good decision because you will be able to see if the "great" opportunity you initially feel you can't pass up is as great as it really seems.
- When you look at your list, think about where you want to go in the future. If you say yes now, will that decision help you get where you want to go?[13]
EditIdentifying Unprofitable Opportunities - Calculate the "opportunity cost" of saying no. If the opportunity is business-related or involves financial decisions – anything from whether to take on a new babysitting client to whether to get your groceries delivered instead of going to the store yourself – you will want to calculate the "opportunity cost."
- Start by calculating how much one hour of your time is worth when you spend that hour doing paid work.
- For each opportunity that presents itself, calculate how much the opportunity will cost as part of your decision about whether or not to say no.[14]
- For example. You are normally paid $15 per hour for your work. Having your groceries delivered costs $10, but going to the grocery store takes two hours. If you are choosing between picking up an extra two hours at work or doing the shopping yourself, you would probably choose the work hours ($30) and pay the $10 delivery charge.
- Remember that opportunity cost should be only one part of your decision making process. It can help you to understand the financial aspects of a dilemma, but there are usually other issues to consider when making a complicated decision.
- Decide whether you have the skills and abilities needed to say yes. If someone asks you to take on a task or a project you aren't ready for, then you might not be able to do a good job. You might find it very stressful to complete the task or project, and the person who asked you might not be happy with the result.
- If you say no now and keep working on preparing yourself, then next time you will be able to confidently say yes – knowing that you will do a great job. Or maybe the task or project is just not a good fit for you. Don't set yourself up to fail.[15]
- Assess whether saying yes will jeopardize commitments you have already made. If you are already very busy, think about whether or not you have the time to do an adequate job of whatever is being asked of you. For example, if you are a busy student with many commitments already, then taking on a new part-time job or volunteer position might not be the best idea if it is going to compromise your ability to complete school assignments.
- The same principle goes for people who are running their own business: if taking on a new client will mean compromising on the work you are doing for existing clients, then you will want to carefully consider your next step. Is it worth risking losing both clients because of shoddy work?[16][17]
- Ask yourself if the request is a realistic one. Sometimes people ask for a favour or seek out someone to do a job for them without really knowing what they need or without thinking through a reasonable way to make the request. If you are not sure the request is realistic – something that can be done – then do some research to find out.
- Don't say yes unless you are certain that the job really can be done the way the person is asking.
- Don't be afraid to say "maybe" or to negotiate a realistic way of accomplishing the goal.[18]
- Ask for advice. If you are not sure about whether to say no, ask a trusted advisor. If you are a student, that might be a teacher or professor. It could be a parent, or a friend or other family member. These people will help you to see "the big picture" and can often give you a fresh perspective on your dilemma.[19]
- Remember that knowing your limits and using strong but flexible boundaries is not something that you are doing to punish others. You're not saying no because you want to hurt others. Keeping within your own personal limits is something that you do for your own well-being – to keep yourself safe and well in the present and for the future.
- Remember to be assertive, calm, firm, and courteous when you say no. If someone does not want to take no for an answer, you can let them know what the consequences of any actions they take will be if they choose to violate your personal boundaries.
- Trust your instincts and remember to put your personal safety first when it comes to a situation that could be dangerous.
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