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Episode 89 Learning to Set Boundaries Will Change the Way You Live and Work.
Description
Do you struggle to say no, even when you're overwhelmed?
If you're constantly putting other people's needs before your own, taking on too much or feeling guilty whenever you try to protect your time, this episode is for you.
Sarah explores why setting boundaries feels so difficult, especially for ambitious women in leadership. She explains how people pleasing is often a nervous system response rather than simply "being nice", and shares practical tools to help you communicate boundaries with confidence, maintain them consistently and create more space for the work and life that matters most.
You'll learn four simple ways to express a boundary, discover the different areas where boundaries may be missing in your life, and understand how listening to your body's "embodied yes" can help you make decisions that align with your values.
Small boundaries build self-trust, and self-trust changes everything.
In this episode you'll discover:
- Why people pleasing is rooted in nervous system safety
- What healthy boundaries really are (and what they aren't)
- The four simple ways to communicate a boundary
- How to confidently say no without over-explaining
- The 3R method for holding boundaries when they're challenged
- The eight areas of life where boundaries matter most
- How to recognise your body's "embodied yes"
- Why boundaries are an essential leadership skill for preventing burnout
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome and why boundaries matter
02:00 Why people pleasing makes boundaries feel unsafe
04:20 What healthy boundaries really are
06:20 The four simple ways to set a boundary:
10:45 How to make your boundaries stick with the 3R Ladder:
13:30 The eight types of boundaries
16:00 Listening to your body
18:10 Why small boundaries build self-trust
19:20 Your challenge for the week
Useful Links
Episode 88 Stop People Pleasing and Be Your Full Self at Work (with Sophie Jane Lee)
Episode 19 How to Be More Assertive at Work
Sophie Jane Lee's book Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women
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Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes
Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
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If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk