How to Build Inner Boundaries for Women

✨No is a complete sentence.✨ 🤔 So why does it feel so hard to say? For many Women of Color, setting boundaries at work and with family often feels like walking a tightrope. Between cultural expectations, the pressure to overperform, and the emotional labor of supporting others, it’s easy to put your needs last. But here’s the truth: boundaries are an act of self-preservation—and they’re non-negotiable. As we roll into the season of holidays and "Let's finish out Q4 strong!" here are a few tips that I hope support your boundaries and honor your needs too. 1. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Your value is not derived from how productive you are or what you do for others. 2. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 In some cultures, boundaries are viewed as confrontational or selfish. Reframe them for yourself and others as acts of love and sustainability. 3. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁. Rest and joy are acts of resistance in a world that often expects you to overwork. 4. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 & 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 Speak assertively but with warmth to navigate cultural or workplace dynamics that may resist boundary-setting. 5. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 Setting boundaries may disappoint or surprise others, especially if they’re used to you being the go-to person. That's OK—your needs are just as important as theirs. 6. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 Start with smaller steps to ease your transition into setting boundaries and protecting your energy. 7. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 Surround yourself with people who respect your boundaries. 8. 𝗦𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼 (𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆) “No” doesn’t have to mean a hard stop. Offer alternatives when possible to remain aligned with your values. What other tips would you add? Share them in the comments. 🧡 ♻️ Repost to share with others. _______________________________________________________________ Struggling with boundaries in work and life? I can help. Setup time to chat here: https://lnkd.in/gPGdqta6

The hardest part of growth isn’t doing more—it’s learning to say no. In a coaching session recently, we explored the real struggles women in business face. Spoiler: it’s not cash flow, pricing strategy, systems or sales. It’s this: 🌟 Giving yourself permission to prioritise what actually matters to you. 🌟 Protecting those priorities with confidence, even when the noise of others’ demands creeps in. For so many women, the fear of upsetting people or being judged can be paralysing. But here’s the truth: Prioritising your health is not a luxury—it’s mission critical. Prioritising being present with your kids (if you have them) is your most important parenting job. Prioritising YOUR business goals? No one else will do that for you. The work? It’s not in the doing—it’s in granting yourself the permission to put yourself first. Here’s my cheat sheet to start the habit of fiercely honouring YOUR priorities: 1️⃣ Decide on your priorities, your big rocks. Be bold. Be selfish. 2️⃣ Map them into your calendar—these are non-negotiable commitments to yourself. 3️⃣ Weekly, review your calendar. Does it make you feel empowered or overwhelmed? Adjust as needed to get closer to empowered. Everything else moves around your priorities. Your priorities don’t move for everything else. Things do not just 'come up.' YOU let them steal your energy and time. The women I work with are high-achieving and ambitious, but often so close to burnout they can’t see it. This is why we start with the basics: setting boundaries and reclaiming their time. Growth begins when you stop saying yes to everything and start saying yes to yourself. What would make it into your list of big rocks? 💭 #WomenInBusiness #Leadership #Growth Image: Weekly date night is never missed. Not always fancy, but present, quality time 💜

As high-achievers, we often prioritize others' needs over our own. Setting boundaries is crucial for emotional wellbeing. 5 non-negotiable boundaries I've set for myself: ♥️Making Emotional Health My Priority I schedule self-care into my daily planner, just like any other important meeting. Whether it's meditation, journaling, or a relaxing bath, I prioritize my emotional health. ♥️Honouring and Validating My Emotions I've stopped minimizing or suppressing my emotions. Instead, I acknowledge and validate them. This helps me process and release emotions in a healthy way. ♥️Limiting Energy Spent on Others I've learned to set healthy limits with others. I prioritize my own needs and avoid overcommitting. This helps me maintain my energy and avoid burnout. ♥️Replacing Social Comparison with Self-Comparison I've stopped comparing myself to others on social media. Instead, I focus on my own progress and growth. This helps me stay grounded and motivated. ♥️Saying No Without Guilt I've learned to say no without feeling guilty or apologetic. This boundary helps me maintain my emotional energy and prioritize my own needs. By setting these boundaries, I've improved my emotional wellbeing and increased my resilience. What boundaries do you set for your emotional wellbeing?

You’re saying “sorry” when you don’t need to. 12 chances to choose boundaries over guilt 👇🏼 For years, I apologized for simply honoring my needs. “Sorry for not replying sooner.”   “Sorry for needing space.”   “Sorry, just trying to clarify.” But the truth is: clarity isn't rude. It's kind. 12 better ways to set boundaries — without guilt: 1. When you need time before responding   ↳ Say: “I want to give this the thought it deserves — will reply tomorrow.” 2. When you prefer a different format   ↳ Say: “Could we move this to email? I think better in writing.” 3. When someone speaks over you   ↳ Say: “I'd like to finish my thought before we move on.” 4. When you're not ready to commit   ↳ Say: “Let me sit with this before giving a yes.” 5. When your weekend is sacred   ↳ Say: “I’ll be offline until Monday — let’s reconnect then.” 6. When someone pushes your timeline   ↳ Say: “This pace doesn’t support quality—let’s reassess deadlines.” 7. When you receive unsolicited advice   ↳ Say: “I appreciate the input — I'm focused on a different direction right now.” 8. When you're misunderstood   ↳ Say: “Let me clarify what I meant — this matters.” 9. When someone assumes access to your time   ↳ Say: “What works for me is [specific time]. Does that align with you?” 10. When you shift a decision   ↳ Say: “After reflection, I’ve made a different choice.” 11. When emotions are high   ↳ Say: “Let’s pause and revisit when we’re both clear.” 12. When you're being pressured to agree   ↳ Say: “I need to stay aligned with what feels right for me.” Boundaries aren’t barriers.  They’re a reflection of self-worth. Which one will you try this week? ♻️ Repost to help others communicate with confidence   🔔 Follow Marco Franzoni for more insights on leading with clarity and care

Burnout thrives where boundaries don’t exist. Here's 5 boundaries to protect your peace. I’ve learned this the hard way. Protecting your peace means setting clear limits that put your well-being first. Here's how: 1: Say ‘No’ Without Guilt ↳Wait 24 hours before committing to create space for what's important. ↳Block "unavailable" time on your calendar. ↳Drop one commitment for every new one you accept. 2. Define Your Work Hours ↳Email yourself or a colleague at day’s end to list a win and mentally sign off. ↳ Set a 15-minute alarm before the end of your workday to wrap up. ↳ Light a candle or say 'shutting down', to signal the end of work. 3. Guard Your Energy ↳Figure out what matters so you can align energy and time accordingly  ↳5-minute pause between tasks to recharge and clear your mind. ↳Prioritize spending time with people who lift you up 4. Set Clear Daily Priorities ↳List your top 3 tasks every morning to stay focused. ↳"One Big Thing" method: accomplish one key task first. ↳Decline or delegate tasks that don’t align. 5. Create "No-Work" Zones at Home ↳Keep all work materials out of the bedroom. ↳Store your work laptop in a drawer after hours to disconnect. ↳Set up a small Zen Zone with plants or books in a separate area. What is one boundary you've recently set? -- ♻️ Repost to support your network's peace of mind 🌿 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for daily tips to integrate work and life in a way that works for YOU

Setting healthy boundaries isn't selfish. It's self-care. As a psychiatrist, I've had to remind my patients. And myself for that matter. Here's my advice: 1/ Follow your internal compass: Think of a compass with YES and NO as the only directions to choose from. This will help make choices that align with your needs and values. 2/ Your boundaries are your yes' and no's: Every decision you make shapes your life. Set clear boundaries to boost your wellbeing. 3/ A little discomfort for long-term benefits: You’ll feel some stress or discomfort when first setting boundaries. Over the long-term you feel relief and less overwhelmed. 4/ Healthy boundaries = good self-care: True self-care goes far beyond diet and exercise. It includes emotional, mental, and relational health. 5/ Stress will likely cloud judgment: You can’t make good decisions while severely stressed. Set boundaries to reduce stress, get clarity, and make better choices. 6/ Others won't like it when you say no: And that’s OK. You’ll get push back when you start to enforce boundaries. Others’ reactions shouldn’t guide your decisions. 7/ Tweak boundaries over time: What feels safe today may not feel safe tomorrow. It’s OK to change course as you get better at setting boundaries. 8/ Your boundaries will be tested: It may be hard to keep your boundaries during times of personal crisis, work stress, and family strain. Just be ready to boost self-care. 9/ Build a support system: You’ll need help dealing with tough situations. Reach out to friends, support groups, or experts for help. 10/ You can't be 'on' all the time: Just because you have a phone doesn’t mean you’re always on call. Create down-time and protect it. Boundaries aren't walls. They're bridges to healthier relationships. And a better work-life balance. ---------------------------------------- ⁉️ What works for you? ♻️ Reshare to inform your network. 👉 Follow me (Eric Arzubi, MD) for more like this!