Pause Before You Say Yes
How does this relate to lying and impulsiveness?
On our show about ADHD and lying, Ari Tuckman talked about impulsiveness, which we know can be a characteristic of ADHD. If someone is not thinking before they speak, they may agree to something that they really can’t do.
Maybe you were caught off guard by the request and your body went into panic mode and you just said yes.
Maybe you said yes, because you didn’t want the person to feel bad.
Or you simply said yes without thinking about any conflicting plans and just figured everything would work out.
This is the kind of situation where someone may find themselves lying to get out of a commitment.
Most people do not want to lie or have to admit they overbooked themselves. It’s an uncomfortable situation for everyone, you have to make a choice and someone will be disappointed.
How could this situation be avoided?
Pause before you say yes, even when the answer is yes!
I know it’s a simple statement but not easy to do, so in order to get good at it, you have to practice it over and over again.
If someone asks you if you can do something, let them know you need to check your calendar and you will get back to them. This gives you space to look at your schedule to see if there are any conflicts and it also gives you time to reflect on how you want to spend your time.
Thank you for your time and attention!
-Nikki
