If you know that something is a “no,” PLEASE don’t pretend like it’s a “maybe” to avoid hurting someone else’s feelings. You’re wasting their time by doing so and that’s more disrespectful than a “no” could ever be. It takes a mature person to initiate uncomfortable conversation.
There’s a BIG difference between our experiences and our chosen identities.
For example: we can experience moments of overwhelm without being “overwhelmed.”