Episode 1 | March 15, 2021
Finding the No (Still)
A reintroduction to Heather Drago and Sarah Saunders on their continued journey to set healthy boundaries and say no. Listen in for practical, proven ways to find your no.
INTRO
Welcome to “That’s a Hard No” – the podcast about saying no and setting boundaries so you can become the authentic and empowered you that this world needs.
Reminder: While Sarah is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, this podcast is in no way a replacement for one-on-one therapy with a mental health professional. If you are struggling with mental health issues, we welcome you on this journey, but also invite you to seek out professional help.
Looking for a therapist? Here’s a good place to start: psychologytoday.com

SHOW NOTES
Key Takeaways
- Saying “no” and maintaining healthy boundaries is a learned skill that requires practice. As Sarah says, “do the reps!” to exercise this “muscle.”
- Boundary setting often has a negative connotation, but it’s actually a healthy behavior. It’s crucial to set healthy boundaries to achieve goals, live in alignment with your values, and practice self-care.
- It’s important to evaluate what is and isn’t serving you. (“Why am I doing this? How does it make me feel to say yes or no?”)
- Societally, we are encouraged to “say yes” and that we can “have it all,” but recognizing limits and establishing boundaries can be empowering and transformative.
- When you make the conscious effort to say “no” you leave room for “yes!” Utilizing our No Score Sheet can support you in saying “no” to one thing each day.
Resources & Recommendations
- Books
- Untamed, by Glennon Doyle – This book takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery. It seeks to liberate women from the societal expectations that bind them, to honor beauty and rage equally — it speaks to the soul. (link to Amazon)
- Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself, by Nedra Glover Tawwab – This book provides simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life. Rooted in the latest research and best practices used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), these techniques help us identify and express our needs clearly and without apology, and unravel a root problem behind codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more. (link to Amazon)
- Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life, by Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend – This book teaches and walks you through how to set healthy boundaries with your significant other, children, friends, parents, co-workers, and yourself, while sprinkling in a biblical lens throughout. (link to Amazon)
- No Score Sheet – If you want to challenge yourself to say “no” at least once a day (like Heather did during her initial #yearofno), we highly recommend you keep track. Whether you use our downloadable “No Scoresheet” PDF, jot a note in your planner, or download a habit tracker app on your phone, make sure you take note of when and how you say it, what’s happening, and how you feel.
- “I Feel” Form – This worksheet allows you to creates statements about how YOU feel for tough conversations with nonconfrontational language. (click here to download)
Credits and Thanks
- Many thanks to our friends and families (our “villagers”) for listening, and for your continued support.
- That’s a Hard No is a joint production of Clever Girl Marketing and Purposeful Growth & Wellness.
- Marketing and Production Coordinator, Maura Del Rosario.
- Production Support, Evergreen Podcasts, Noah Foutz, Producer.
- Music: “Whiskey for Lunch” by GG Rigs.