Repeat your boundary if they keep pushing

Your answer can stay the same even when they ask again

An acquaintance wants to borrow your car for the weekend. You’ve already said you don’t lend out your car. When they add that they’d only be driving a short distance, you may feel tempted to explain further. If the new information doesn’t change your decision, repeat it.

Acknowledge their situation briefly and calmly repeat your boundary. “I understand that you need a way to get around. I’m not lending you my car.” If they ask again, you can end the conversation about it. If something comes up that genuinely matters to you, you can reconsider your decision.

Practice. Try giving the same answer twice in response to two different objections. Slow down and notice whether you start offering a promise at the end just because you feel pressured.

After you say no, an acquaintance says they only need the car for two hours. The length of the trip doesn’t change your decision. How do you respond?

Assertiveness in Practice – Clear Boundaries, Even Under Pressure

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