"NO" is one of the most powerful, yet underused words in the dictionary.  Perhaps you were once like me, a "yes woman".  You go out your way to make others happy; you're overly accommodating.  Sometimes you find yourself biting off more than you can chew.  You try to please everyone, even at the risk of inconveniencing yourself.  You prove your loyalty and support by always being there and saying "yes".   You rarely say NO and the few times you say it, it would always be followed by the word "but".  "No, BUT...*insert another way to overextend yourself*."

I don't know about you, but it seemed like the more I said "yes", the more I was taken for granted.  I turned into a doormat.  I felt powerless and unappreciated.  I went from being the priority to the option.  I was served grade A shit on a silver platter and expected to eat it (unfortunately, some days I did).  And like a dusty pair of flared jeans from '07, I was just hanging in the closet waiting for him to put me on.  Eventually I grew courage and developed the strength to say NO--sometimes HELL NO if I was really fed up.  Then something magical happened: I was able to reclaim my power.