Is INDECISION That Bad?

Is INDECISION That Bad?

HOW many times we were afraid to make the WRONG DECISION?  I'll be the first to admit that that scenario quite terrified me, knowing that a WRONG DECISION is WRONG enough, no matter your excuses or explanations.  BUT  Is INDECISION That Bad?  Thing is, people are so freaked out making the WRONG choice.  Travelling the wrong road itself already means wasting time and energy [NOT to mention fuel, WHEN many years ago, I took the wrong turn in that very remote Bondoc Peninsula].  NOW, here's for the unexpected 'breaking news'.  Experts tell us that the only BAD DECISION is INDECISION, followed by inaction.  It DOESN'T matter WHETHER you choose right [because there may be NO wrong].  No such thing as wasted time, money OR energy📗📙📘

Thing is, as long as you commit yourself to that DECISION you made and get engaged with it and as long as you approach everything with openness [+ POSITIVITY], it may happen that you ended up choosing the wrong job BUT you can learn from the experience of living WHEN things are misaligned.  Moreover, that should lead you to know as to WHAT skills [OR resources] to equip you so that the next time around you need to grapple with a decision, you are much more informed.  The only way the time, money OR energy you put into something that's NOT quite right is wasted is IF you choose NOT to see and build upon WHAT you've gained along the way.  In the end, the only BAD DECISION is WHEN you end up with INDECISION.  WHY?  Because it leads to nowhere other than INACTION.  And without ACTION, there's NO data, data WHICH can you reference in the future, to better equip you as a decision-maker.  Without making that wrong turn, there is NO experience in life you can leverage on, NO information to serve as fuel for evolution, connection OR progress.  NO growth❌❌❌

To quote famous American writer, WHEN YOU STUMBLE, THERE LIES YOUR TREASURE. Even in the workplace and the business world, INDECISION is like a stigma because INDECISIONS are tagged as WRONG DECISIONS per se.  You might challenge abd ask, shouldn't we make QUALITY DECISIONS?  Very true indeed but studies showed that making DECISIONS quickly mattered many miles more than the QUALITY of DECISIONS✅✅✅

WWII war hero General George S. Patton was widely quoted that a good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.  In the real world, it is true that newbies in the environment typically face more complicated DECISIONS than they expected.  In these situations it is that easy to freeze.  In fact, it becomes easier to justify waiting.  But experts tell us to "DON'T"!  BECAUSE WHEN you do, it will cost time and monies no less😋😋😋

Our takeaway:  Be sharp to observe yourself if and WHEN you make those INDECISIONS.  BUT remind yourself that waiting is only acceptable WHEN you have a reason and a deadline.  In that case, consider to set a reasonable deadline for you to make a DECISION.  NEVER leave it hanging indefinitely BECAUSE likely, it will hang there forever.  And if we're talking about 'BIG DECISIONS', we can break those BIG DECISIONS into bit-sized pieces.  In literary prose, to break down those mental barriers between yourself and a big behemoth, divide that behemoth into small chunks because INDECISION CAN BE BAD❗❗❗

That Chink In Our Armor

That Chink In Our Armor

WHEN THINGS FALL APART, WHAT happens next?  YES That is WHEN those chinks In our armor will surface out and become visible [seriously, even to the blind, deaf and mute].  BUT as we often heard, the wisdom of learning from failure is incontrovertible.  NOW for some hard facts.  On average, most of us will spend [roughly] one third of our lives at work.  That translates to approximately 90,000 hours whew!  So, it's just inevitable that each of us wlll go through difficult periods within that cycle📗📙📘

Surely, our life can be peppered with setbacks and sometimes we get hit with it back-to-back.  WHETHER it's a fallout with a family member, a tongue-lashing from your boss, a relationship breakup, a business foray going awry OR even the death of a loved one.  There will moments WHEN even world events break our hearts, LIKE 9/11, LIKE the Ukraine war, LIKE the murders targeting Asian women in New York.  In 2022, Collins Dictionary named 'PERMACRISIS' as the word of the year as that year, it embodied the dizzying sense of lurching from one unexpected event to another💧💧💧

With wars and conflicts from Gaza in the Middle East all the way to the South China Sea conflicts, YES we can be forgiven for feeling that much of our lives are seemingly out of control.  And YES, we humans do hate that feeling out of control.  Just the very existence of the term 'control freak' indicates our need for control can go too far😌😌😌

Studies by psychologists have proven that we humans want to feel  that we're steering our own respective ships, that deep-seated desire for CERTAINTY + CONTROL.  These studies went farther and the results showed that having that SENSE OF AUTONOMY is the number one contributor to HAPPINESS and that we shouldn't be surprised that so many measures of our mental health are heading the wrong way???

Our takeaway:  NOT referring to any of those studies, WHILE we may NOT always be able to control events, we certainly can control our reaction to them and that can be a world of difference for us to achieve that HAPPINESS that can last much longer than it is now.  YES, we can fix that CHINK IN OUR ARMOR❗❗❗

YES, It Takes Work!

YES, It Takes Work!

YES, It Takes Work!  WHETHER you're an aspiring athlete, an upstart employee worker OR an upcoming entrepreneur, you and me will need to start right from Ground Zero.  YES, It Takes Work!  BUT obviously with exception.  UNLESS you are Baron Trump OR a scion of the legitimate rich and famous billionaires.  Otherwise, everyone of us needs to hue to this age-old mantra YES, It Takes Work!  BUT this should NOT floor you down or scare you away dude📗📙📘

So, one might ask, WHAT do we mean WHEN we blurt out that IT TAKES WORK?  Simple, dude.  Work your ass.  Grind at work.  Work like a DAWG.  Think about the BIG LEAGUES.  For the techies, we could be looking at the IT Parks in India OR if the stars will align for you, you can end up all the way up and out there at San Jose CA's Silicon Valley.  In the competitive world of sports, we have witnessed hundreds of gold medalists from the Olympics BUT looking at their storied life, they started right from Ground Zero many years prior to reaching the zenith of their competition.  Diminutive Olympics Gymnast Carlos Yulo was a 16-year old boy WHO accepted a scholarship from the Japan Gymnastics association, and had to start learning Nihongo up to the conversation level before he started grinding hard for his rigorous gymnastics training.  Eight years after, he stepped up the Olympics podium twice to receive two gold medals💧💧💧

So, WHAT'S the secret?  That secret is the best known secret in the world spelled E-X-T-R-A M-I-L-E.  Through the years, I've seen a big segment of people [WHOM I know up close] to shrug off their shoulders WHEN they hear EXTRA MILE ringing through their ears.  Sadly, many times, it does fall through deaf ears on the simple narrative that WE WON'T HEAR WHAT WE REFUSE TO HEAR.  Makes sense???

Just to share, HOW was I WHEN I started right there at Ground Zero.  YES, I did squat on the floor with a soldering tool to solder hundreds of coaxial cables.  That time, we were literally moving the local office of Shell Oil to Makati, the country's financial hub.  BUT things DIDN'T stop there.  I spent countless way below crawling the raised floorings.  YES because large data centers require raised floorings and many times, I was a worker for hard-labor work, tracing huge, heavy and long cables connecting the IBM mainframes with all the peripheral hardware scattered all over the sprawling area😖😖😖

Our takeaway:  So, WHAT does it take for us to go that EXTRA MILE?  YES, lots of sweat, lots of time and mile-long of patience, perseverance and persistence.  So, you might ask, is that a steep mountain to climb?  YES if you consider that steep.  NO if you rewire yourself and have that EXTRA MILER mindset.  Down the road, you will eventually reap the fruits of your labor.  YES, IT TAKES WORK, dude💥💥💥

Don't EVER Speak In 'ABSOLUTES'

Don't EVER Speak In 'ABSOLUTES'

This may sound contrarian and controversial and I CAN'T disagree less that WHAT is often missed is that we Don't EVER Speak In 'ABSOLUTES'.  BUT again, human nature tells us to be so generous at least even from an expression perspective.  HOW often we heard feedback like EXCELLENT, SUPER, AMAZING name it, even ChatGPT will run out of adjectives given our propensity to speak in ABSOLUTES📗📙📘

WHEN we start plotting our goals, there is NOTHING wrong if we blurt out with aggressive [and brimming with optimism] statements like, MY RESTAURANT BUSINESS WILL BECOME #1 OR I will be the fastest runner in the upcoming marathoner OR I'll be the most successful entrepreneur amongst all my friends.  It's true those RAH-RAH statements will help you go in overdrive mode BUT that's about it💥💥💥

I'm now running back, rewinding to that time years ago WHEN I was contemplating to explore the overseas job market.  And WHAT IF I shared my plans to every Tom, Dick and Harry?  And WHAT IF I assured to those I confided my plans that I'll hit pay dirt and be successful?  And WHAT IF I shared everyone my wishful thinking that I want a comfy corporate job WHERE I'll live out of my suitcase, being a road warrior✅✅✅

Playing a reversed devil's advocate, the old cliche 'two heads are better than one' generally runs true BUT hold on.  Do we need a 'second head' as the source of inputs in our planning phase?  Again, I WON'T speak in absolutes here.  I WON'T claim I WON'T need another head.  On the other hand, would I need another head each time I need to come up with a decision?  NOT necessarily.  In fact, most of the time, we are expected to be ON OUR OWN as it is us WHO owns that decision-making.  And there's NO WAY we can either avoid OR run away from that decision crunch💧💧💧

Our takeaway:  As a best practice, whether in our family life, work life OR in business, as much as possible, let us be cautious from talking in ABSOLUTES because sometimes, those ABSOLUTES are either NOT feasible OR NOT realistic, one way OR the other.  And if we DON'T achieve those ABSOLUTES, there will be undue pressure upon us to DELIVER THE GOODS, with NO quarters left for us to UNDO those ABSOLUTES.  Words matter dude❗❗❗

Should We Tell Everyone Our Target Goals?

Should We Tell Everyone Our Target Goals?

Should We Tell Everyone Our Target Goals?  Dude, there are two unqualified answers to this question and it's NO and NO, period.  True, it's so ideal to be transparent and be an 'open book' but experts have coined this acronym 'TMI', i.e. too much information.  First of the list of NO-NOs is NOT to be an 'open book' WHEN it pertains your health.  Even the HIPAA regulation in the U.S. clearly protects a patient's health information.  Oooops, we're NOT implying that if you confide to someone your health issues, they will make matters worse for you.  Nope, NOT to that extent BUT here's the thing📗📙📘

Without being cynical, generally, people have that tendency to adjust their behavior WHEN they find out you have or had a specific medical condition.  WHILE it might be obvious, it does change the lens by WHICH you are viewed.  So, WHAT'S the key?  It's about striking the 'BALANCE'.  At hindsight, it behooves that we establish those 'guard rails' of WHAT you deem appropriate in your culture OR environment and WHAT is NOT.  The crucial question then is, HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?  YES, timing is key in figuring out your own cadence and balance. The WHAT and WHEN of WHAT to reveal is very personal and the timing needs to be BALANCED with creating unnecessary anxiety OR even distractions❎❎❎

YES, transparency is a 'watchword' in the workplace these days and it is quite easy to understand.  After all, people conduct their work in plain view, and which leads me to ask, should they NOT be more open and accountable?  YES absolutely.  BUT again, without being cynical, there is always that 'dark side' of things.  Basic questions staring in our face are:  HOW MUCH of myself and my emotions can I share💦💦💦

Ultimately, is there a point WHERE our being transparent can become toxic?  True, TRANSPARENCY is healthy as it builds trust and it is empowering no less.  HOWEVER, WHEN TRANSPARENCY is manifested OR displayed quite wantonly [I'll call it CARELESSLY sometimes], OR responded to with dispassion and nonchalance, it be can very quickly become a barrier between WHERE you are and WHERE you need to be.  NOW, WHY DON'T we focus on the 'darker side'😗😗😗

Our takeaway:  I earnestly believe that if and WHEN TRANSPARENCY prevails, it's a win-win for everyone, be it at your home, at the workplace OR even in your owned business forays.  It is in the somber moments and difficult conversations WHERE being TRANSPARENT requires more tactfulness and immense consideration.  Your being TRANSPARENT during serious pivotal moments can backfire, right?  So, this all boils down for us to do the BALANCING ACT💥💥💥

Breaking Bad Habits?

Breaking Bad Habits?  If psychologists will hear that question, they get stomped with this challenge, CAN WE RETRAIN OUR BRAIN?  And they have a ready answer that YES WE CAN RETRAIN IT.  BUT as the cliche goes, if you need to shy away OR put away something, there has to be a literal replacement.  Imagine if you're a chain smoker and you'll attempt to stop smoking.  Likely THAT will be doomed to fail unless smoking gets replaced with another sensible 'replacement', right???

I've read this shared narrative before.  Mike wrote a list that showed:  Make a healthy snack, go to the gym, DON'T waste time on the mobile phone, read a classic novel and housetrain his dog.  24 hours later, Mike munched celery sticks while reading his fav classic novel.  His legs were sore after an hour at the treadmill while his dog was waiting outside.  Is this believable?  Factually, Mike was on the couch, one hand in the bag of chips, the other on his mobile phone. The unopened gym bag and copy of the classic novel were on the floor💥💥💥

Indeed that's more plausible, right?  YES we all agree that HABITS DON'T change overnight, NOT for the simple doggies and NOT for the big-brained human beings.  BUT research shows that even the pet dog can learn that he should go potty outside instead on top Mike's gym bag BUT YES, we can REWIRE our brain to change our HABITS.  We humans just need a subtler approach than just a few treats, agree???

SO HOW?  So many studies have covered this so let's piggy-back on them instead.  

• Identify CUES - Something has to trigger a habit!
• DISRUPT - With cues, throw BAD HABITS off track!
• REPLACE - YES, BAD HABITS must be replaced
• KEEP IT SIMPLE - Simply new behaviors to adopt
• Think LONG-TERM - That CHANGE is not overnight
• PERSIST - As established HABITs are hard to break, keep at it, and it's been proven that over time, persistence works although it's painful at the start

Our takeaway:  While it's NO surprise to me to keep hearing zillion attempts to break a BAD HABIT, WHAT befuddles me is that most of the people involved seem to just shrug off their shoulder WHEN their attempt to change flops.  AS IF it's a no-brainer but the thing here is that UNLESS and UNTIL a person is personally committed to BREAK those BAD HABITS, rest assured that those BAD HABITS will continue to stick it out to them [probably throughout their lifetime] like a leech.  BREAKING BAD HABITS?  Just do it dude😄😄😄

BEWARE When Optimism Turns To Hubris

NOT to paint myself in a corner BUT I have to admit that I am a dyed-in-the-wool OPTIMIST.  With one too many roadblocks throughout my journey till to date, I have to admit I WON'T be here blogging at my own pace IF I'll deny the level [call it severity?] of OPTIMISM I always manifest in my life.  BUT, life is not always as simply as having the sun, shining and dandy.  BEWARE When Optimism Turns To Hubris  because once it's ugly head turns up, you can be like caught in an unexpected hurricane [in life]📗📙📘

NOT to downplay things BUT I did bear witness to many optimists WHO were miles ahead of me from an OPTIMISM perspective.  They are the ones WHO would take the plunge with the least convincing necessary.  It's GO-GO-GO for them and to their credit, I've witnessed some of their successes BUT not to bad-mouth them, their successes were paltry when mapped against all the debacles, a.k.a. failures💧💧💧

SO HOW?  Becoming more optimistic can help you see people, situations and tasks with a more positive outlook.  People WHO are OPTIMISTS can expectedly reduce their stress levels and improve their productivity and have more fulfilling experiences.  Oooops I've heard a debate WHEN it was being argued that the stress levels for OPTIMISM are much higher because they seem to be always in 'full throttle'💥💥💥

You might argue WHY are we wasting our time today to talk about OPTIMISM?  This is more info-sharing than an information roadshow because to most of us, we know well enough all these stuff.  Allow me then to do a look-up on researches encouraging us to be more OPTIMISTIC:

• It minimizes STRESS - because we tend to focus on the positive aspects of our life
• It improves our HEALTH - Expert studies showed that OPTIMISTS have lower risks of heart disease, stroke and other medical conditions, on top of better immune systems, no thanks to OPTIMISM
• Increased PRODUCTIVITY - This is quite obvious.
• More career BREAKTHROUGHs - This is very likely
• Reduced risk of depression OR anxiety - Amen

Our takeaway:  OPTIMISM is one of the things in life which entails MINIMAL efforts that may equate to BIGGER and more impactful results.  ISN'T that a giveaway per se?  WHY go BIG if there are way to go and aim for that BIG IMPACTING plum while leveraging on your well grounded OPTIMISM?  If there's one thing we need to be cautioned, please ensure you remain adept to PULL THE BREAKS when your OPTIMISM seems to have gone overboard, OR frankly it has gone berserk.  That's WHEN OPTIMISM TURNS TO HUBRIS😌😌😌

Is Walking Away Bad OR Wrong?

Is Walking Away Bad OR Wrong?  My curt reply:  YES and NO.  It is that BAD and WRONG if you WALK AWAY arbitrarily, for no credible reason OR rational at all.  BUT if did your soul-searching enough to reach your informed decision, WALKING AWAY could be the correct move after all.  WHETHER it's about relationships, your job OR even your business forays, WALKING AWAY from a situation could be your way to regain control of a situation that's going deep south faster than you thought📗📙📘

Reality here is that life can be an absolute whirlwind, throwing unexpected curveballs your way [WHEN you DIDN'T even least expect it].  And sometimes, you end up finding yourself stuck in situations that seem like a test of your strength, resilience OR even your character.  Been there, done that.  YES dude, I did survive.  True, it's NOT only battling with WHAT seems are impossible decisions to arrive at but more often, you get caught between the need to stand your ground and that urge to run as far from the situation as possible.  Seriously, describing it as a dilemma will be a gross understatement💦💦💦

Thing is, it's NOT always about fireworks OR call it 'epic showdowns' because at times, it is a seemingly quiet voice at the back of your head whispering and counselling you that it's time to STEP BACK, even though every ounce of you is screaming NO WAY because likely, you prefer the status quo.  WHAT I learned in my journey till to date is that WALKING AWAY [be it from the workplace OR in any other endeavor you're in] ISN'T always a sign of defeat at all.  On the other hand, it could be a manifestation of of your 'brave act' of self-preservation, a necessary step towards better things you deserve.  Let's rattle off a sampling of those difficult situations you need to grapple with:

• Jobs [or workplace] that UNDERMINUES your value
• Friendships where RECIPROCITY is an unknown word.
• Expectations that limit your AUTHENTICITY [and that's tricky]

Of all those wild variables in life, expectations can be a damn tricky thing.  They can either motivate you to strive for more BUT they can also box you in, limiting your own capabilities [and add your authenticity] that goes along with your freedom.  True, there's a fine line between meeting expectations and losing oneself in the process.  And WHEN you're constantly trying to live up to someone else's expectations [be it at the workplace, in business OR even in relationships] or society at large, you might end up finding yourself losing touch with WHO you are💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  Let's NOT miss the  boat.  Let us NOT get caught with our head dug deep into the sands if only to extricate ourselves from a situation that is potentially escalating.  Our take:  Extricate yourself from the sand, face the mirror, assess the situation in the most thorough approach possible before you end up in an informed decision because WALKING AWAY is NOT always BAD or WRONG😑😑😑

Are You 'RISK AVERSE'?

Are You 'RISK AVERSE'?

AI cautions us that regardless if one is a risk taker OR risk averse, at the end of the day, it all depends HOW we react to UNCERTAINTY.  So, while risk takers are tagged as bold and comfortable with uncertainty, risk averse people prefer stability and certainty.  Are You 'RISK AVERSE'?  YES, just now, I asked that same question to myself and I replied "YES and NO" based on the zillion decisions I made throughout the past years📗📙📘

Frankly, I would tag myself as 'middle-of-the-roader' because much as sometimes I am RISK AVERSE, there are times I'm so locked-in, ready to take the plunge and take that RISK.  You might ask, what triggers me to take the RISK [versus being RISK AVERSE?  It is the prize dangling there that can trigger me to come up with an informed decision.  IF the potential UPSIDEs heavily outweigh the DOWNSIDEs, I'm all in to face those RISKS💧💧💧

NOW, here's the deal that will sow more confusion.  WHETHER you are RISK AVERSE or a RISK TAKER, there's a commonality between them and it's the fact that either way, you can still end up in disappointments, a.k.a. frustrations.  BUT not to everyone's surprise, they are significantly poles apart because WHILE RISK TAKERS take too many risks without any planning much akin to a chronic gambler, studies show that more too often, they would walk away a loser.  On the other hand, the RISK AVERSE are continually stuck in the development of the plan BUT the plans are just plans.  Since the plans will never be good enough, they DON'T get implemented💥💥💥

And WHEN we start talking about relationships, this is WHEN we will bear witness to the parting of the Red Sea recurring over and over again WHEN it comes to relationships.  Take the RISK TAKER, it's NOT far fetched to speculate that they may get entangled with one relationship after another, NOT because they are trigger-happy BUT simply because they are the more vulnerable souls WHO sometimes end up in NOT SO informed decisions.  You might wonder.  Can we compartmentalize things?  Like being RISK AVERSE in relationships WHILE being a RISK TAKER in business forays? YES, that chameleon-like profile can exist but that's more of an exception than the rule😖😖😖

Our takeaway:  There is NO ONE SIZE THAT FITS ALL.  We can't recommend a sure-fire formula in life BUT instead, let's adopt both mindsets and execute it in a rational approach.  And obviously, sometimes WHEN the stakes are high enough, it's really that tempting to take the plunge and take the RISK.  My take on that?  GO FOR IT because many times, our gut feel and our instincts do play a heavy hand in those circumstances.  WHEREAS sometimes WHEN your heart is pumping faster, do listen to your heart as much as you need to listen to your mind❗❗❗

Why Saying 'NO' Is Sometimes MOST DIFFICULT???

WHY Is The Easiest Word To Say Is Sometimes The MOST DIFFICULT One???

Oxford says there are 171,476 English words in use and over 47,156 obsolete ones WHEREAS the dictionary has 157,000 combinations and derivatives and another 169,000 phrases and combinations.  In sum, roughly we have over 600,000 word-forms in English and YES, one of the most simple words to pronounce is 'NO'.  YET, what befuddles is this:  WHY Is The Easiest Word To Say Becomes The MOST DIFFICULT One???

YES, I do feel it OR I do hear you.  HOW can you say NO to your best best friend ever?  OR to your closes buddy at the workplace?  OR even to your valued client WHO you DON'T want to lose at all given all the deals that client always signs off [even before you end your sales spiel].  OR your boss?  OR the priest OR pastor in your neighborhood WHO you considered already as 'family'?  OR for someone caught by the authorities and now undergoing interrogation WHO may probably never say 'NO' especially under a climate of fear, coercion OR duress?  Indeed, that dilemma of saying NO is a puzzle difficult to resolve BUT that will be the case IF you are unprepared to SAY NO WITHOUT SAYING NO.  BUT frankly, first and foremost, let's digest the possible implications [and even consequences] WHEN you say YES but meant to say NO instead.  YES, it's NOT simply responding and it gets closed as a discussion point because it can even 'haunt' you back❎❎❎

WHEN saying YES [but you meant NO], think about all these:

• DID YOU falsely raise expectations out of deference?
• DID YOU end up committing to do something you CAN'T?
• DID YOU simply maintained a 'clean slate' at your expense?
• DID YOU think you were fair enough to yourself to say YES?
• DID YOU come prepared for that question BUT unprepared?
• DID YOU paint yourself in a corner, difficult to extricate from?
• DID YOU end up pleasing the other party, solely for pleasing?
• DID YOU avoid creating a problem only to create a new one?
• DID YOU ease out the pressure on you only to pressure you?
• DID YOU simply shelved the problem only to haunt you back?
  

NOT to host a clinic for a 'SAY NO' 101 Course, allow me to share some of the AI insights to SAY NO WITHOUT SAYING IT:

• I'M ALREADY BOOKED
• MY CALENDAR IS FULL
• UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T
• I'M NOT ABLE AT THIS TIME
• THAT DOESN'T FIT MY SCHEDULE
• I'M NOT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS
• I'M AFRAID I DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH
• I NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE EARLIER TASK I HAVE
• LET ME  CLEAR UP MY QUEUED TASKS FOR NOW
• I'M AFRAID TO STEP ON OTHER'S TOES FOR THAT

Our takeaway:  We need to factor-in peculiarities of some cultures BUT this should NOT be a blocker for us to SAY NO WHEN IT HAS TO BE NO:

• In Thailand, NO does not directly translate to 'NO'
• In the Middle East, NO may be taken as rudeness
• In China, they want to avoid conflicts if they say NO
• In Japan, where politeness prevails, NO is difficult
• In Chile, they might say MAYBE OR POSSIBLY

YES dude, it still befuddles me till to date as to WHY Is The Easiest Word To Say Is Sometimes The MOST DIFFICULT One???