Start small: Practice saying no without explaining why. Just "that doesn't work for me" and sitting in the silence. Every over-explanation is you managing their emotional reaction. Learn to let them have their feelings without rescuing them from disappointment.

You're treating "what do I want" as an information-gathering problem when it's actually a permission problem. You know what you want—you just don't believe you're allowed to want it if it conflicts with what others want from you.

Test this: Think of a decision where you "don't know what you want." Now ask: "If no one would ever find out about this... See more

Here's the reframe: Sales rejection and public posting aren't actually about confrontation. They're about putting yourself out there for judgment, which is scary but impersonal. The prospect doesn't know you. The social media audience doesn't know you.

Emotional confrontation is different—it's directly telling someone "your behavior is unacceptable"... See more