Do you feel obligated to attend every holiday event you’re invited to? Well, don’t. In fact, turning down some invitations is good for you – and helps you avoid the holiday burnout many people experience. In a new study, 77% of respondents said they accept invitations to parties they don’t want to go to – because they’re afraid of the consequences of saying no. However, researchers found that people don’t care about rejected invitations as much as people think they do.
“I was once invited to an event that I absolutely did not want to attend, but I attended anyways because I was nervous that the person who invited me would be upset if I did not – and that appears to be a common experience,” said lead author Julian Givi, an assistant professor at West Virginia University. “Our research shows, however, that the negative ramifications of saying no are much less severe than we expect.”