Sometimes growth sounds like “I don’t do that anymore.”

Short sentences with no argument attached are often the clearest sign something has changed. No explanation, no justification, no negotiation about why: just a statement of fact about the current version. Long defenses usually mean the decision is still being made internally. When it is settled, the sentence gets short.

Pick one thing you have decided against and practice saying it in six words or fewer. Do not add a reason, since reasons invite debate. Notice how much less energy the refusal takes when you are not arguing your own case.