While the world may be giving Keke Palmer an emphatic “yes!” when it comes to virtually any and every project she does, the Nope star has recently tapped into the power of saying “no” and explained how it’s done wonders for her mental health and well-being in a new interview.
Appearing on the cover of the September issue of Women’s Health Magazine, the Hustlers star divulged about the one thing she’s been intentional about practicing that’s positively contributed to her overall state of being: saying no.
“I realized it’s hard to say no because we don’t trust,” she explained. “We don’t trust that if we say no the opportunity will come again. Or we don’t trust that if we say no we’ve made the right choice. Or we’re scared that if we say no we’re going to offend somebody. But I realized that saying yes to too many things was stressing me out the most.”
She continued: “I’ve learned not to be afraid to rearrange things and to accept that I’m not going to be able to do it all without hurting myself. A couple of years ago, I would have been like, ‘Well, your career’s over if you don’t do this.’ But this time I was like, ‘Physically, this is not possible. I would have to dishonor myself in such a cruel way [to make it happen] that I simply have to say no.’”
And though she’s only been embarking on her “Say No” journey for about two years now, she’s sure the benefits far outweigh any potential offer that could come her way.
“I’m getting really good at it now. That’s the grace and the silver lining” she said.
To read Keke Palmer’s full interview, head on over to womenshealthmag.com.