Do you have a hard time saying no?

Does it sometimes feel like people constantly push you and you do not feel you can stop it happening?

Maybe you want to be seen as helpful, eager to please, and prove yourself. Or maybe there is an underlying fear that if you do not make yourself indispensable people will forget about you.

Often there can be links with growing up in a space where saying no was not possible and your boundaries were not respected.

It can also be an outcome of domestic abuse, being manipulated and coerced, or physically abused so that you had to comply.

The trouble is always saying yes can lead you to feeling run ragged, exhausted, and taken advantage of. You might wonder if anyone cares about you, especially as they do not make the same efforts you do.

Setting boundaries can help. They are a way to work out what is ok for you, not only what is ok for others. They can help you take care of your energy and think through what expectations you have of others. However, it can feel really hard setting them and even harder enforcing them, especially when you are not used to it.

If you would like to talk with some about your difficulties saying no and setting boundaries, and where this may stem from, please contact me.