As someone who was born in France, I believe the word "no" holds immense power. However, at times, I struggle to utter it. People often take advantage of my reluctance, and in the end, we all regret it. They push me to do things, which inevitably turn out poorly, leaving me with a sense of guilt.
Yet, I must admit that saying "yes" occasionally leads me into intriguing situations. Some of the most decisive moments in my life occurred because I couldn't say no.
To me, freedom represents true wealth. I cherish the luxury of being able to walk away from a situation I no longer enjoy. I value the ability to think independently and disregard the opinions of others. Being in the company of people I genuinely enjoy is vital to me, while keeping interactions with those who don't interest me to a minimum.
I'm the kind of person who would exit a party within 10 minutes if I realize that everyone there is uninteresting. I have also departed from promising positions because I couldn't tolerate the nonsense circulating within them (much to my mother's disapproval).
It's amusing because, even though I am not particularly talkative, I cannot bring myself to be a hypocrite by pretending to be friendly and content with individuals whom I have zero respect for. However, I am also not the kind of person who seeks out conflicts, so my preferred course of action is simply to remove myself from such situations.
Undoubtedly, this approach may rub some people the wrong way. However, their opinions do not concern me. I do not live to please them, nor do I owe them anything, just as they owe me nothing in return.