Not a super flexy slender Yoga chick talks "the Power of Setting Boundaries"

No. NO! Nooooo! No...

How do you feel when someone replies with just a plain, simple "no"? Are you satisfied? Or do you- like most of us- instinctively wait for the why?

We’ve been conditioned to expect explanations. Even more so, we’ve been trained to give them. It’s like we owe the world a reason for every decision we make, especially when it’s a “no.” But here’s the problem: justifying your “no” weakens your boundaries. Every time you feel the need to explain yourself, you’re unconsciously opening a door for your own limits to be negotiated, questioned, or even ignored.

Boundaries are not optional. They are the foundation of self-respect.  Whether physical, emotional, mental, or energetic, they’re yours.  And no one knows your boundaries better than you do. Or… at least, they shouldn’t. But let’s be honest- how good are we at upholding boundaries?Most of us? Not great. We’ve been raised to believe we must justify every action, every thought, every word. We’ve been told that being liked is more important than being honest. And that conditioning? It’s exhausting. It’s why we’re often drained. Why we say yes when we mean no. Why we go to dinners we don’t want to attend, keep watching TV when we need sleep, or take on work we didn’t have the bandwidth for. All of it: a slow erosion of self-respect.

Here’s the truth: Setting boundaries teaches others how to treat you.

Yes, some people won’t like your “no.” They might react. They might push back.  But you are not responsible for their comfort- you are responsible for your own well-being.

And anyway… can we talk about the impossibility of pleasing everyone? Remember the fable The Father, The Son, and The Donkey? Spoiler alert: no matter what they did, someone always had an opinion.

So, what now?

• Learn to say no without a follow-up explanation.

• Learn to decline favors that drain you.

• Learn to let go of being liked by everyone.

• And most importantly: learn your boundaries.

You can’t uphold what you haven’t yet defined. Start there. You might be surprised how empowering a simple “No.” can be.

No, no