For example, if your friend asks you to go to a party or event and you don’t want to, don’t say, “No, I don’t feel like it. ” Try something like, “Thanks for inviting me, but that’s not really my scene. ”
For example, a good, concise response would be, “I wish I could help, but unfortunately my schedule is already jam-packed. ” Try something like, “I’m flattered that you asked me, but I can’t this time. ”
Go for a clear response like, “Thanks for inviting me, but I have something else to do that day and I can’t get out of it. ” Another good option might be, “Thanks for the babysitting offer, but I have a part-time job now and I really don’t have extra time. ”
For example, if your friend asks you to help with a project and you say, “Let me get back to you,” you’re wasting their time when they could be looking for someone else to help them instead.
For example, you might say, “I’m really sorry, I wish that I could loan you $20, but I just don’t have it right now. ”
For example, you might need to say, “I definitely can’t/don’t want to do that. The answer is ‘no’ and I won’t change my mind on this. ”
If you feel bad about walking off, you can say something like, “I have to get to a meeting/class/work. See you later. ” If your friend is really pushing it, walking off without another word may be the best way to get your point across.
Or you might say, “I can’t go to your sister’s birthday party because I already have plans that day, but do you want to hang out at the mall with me tonight?”
For example, you might say, “I can’t go to that party because I don’t want to see Erik and I know he’s going to be there. We just broke up and I’m just not ready for that. ”
You might also try something like, “I wish I could help with that, but I can’t. I dealt with something similar last year, so I definitely understand how rough it can be. ”
Or, you could say, “Thank you for offering to get me an interview at your company! That’s really flattering, but I don’t think my skills will be a good fit. ”
In the long run, always saying “yes” to a friend, even when you don’t want to, could make you feel bitter or resentful toward that person, and that’s not good.
For example, if your friend asks you to sneak out to go to a wild party with older kids, don’t feel guilty for declining. She may decide to skip the party if she has to go by herself, which means she won’t be offered drugs and alcohol or drive while intoxicated.
For example, you might say, “I feel awful that I couldn’t be there for you, but I honestly had no choice. What can I do to make you feel better about this?”
