How to Say No: The Psychology of Defiance with Dr. Sunita Sah

01/12/2025 34 min
How to Say No: The Psychology of Defiance with Dr. Sunita Sah

Listen "How to Say No: The Psychology of Defiance with Dr. Sunita Sah"

Episode Synopsis

Most of us were taught to be agreeable. To be easy. To be helpful. But constantly saying “yes” can drain our energy and derail our careers.

In this episode from the Hello Monday archives, Jessi Hempel sits down with Dr. Sunita Sah, author of Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes, to explore why saying “no” feels so hard and why reclaiming defiance is essential to our confidence, clarity, and integrity.

In her conversation with Jessi, Dr. Sah breaks down how to recognize compliance, interrupt it, and rebuild a relationship with “no” that is grounded, principled, and guilt-free.

Jessi and Dr. Sah discuss:


Why saying “no” triggers discomfort

What insinuation anxiety is, and how it quietly shapes workplace behavior

Strategies to speak up even when the stakes feel high

How to break patterns of over-compliance and reclaim autonomy

How to make defiance a practice

How to align your “no” with your values


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