Do you say yes to every request without even thinking about it? Are you frustrated when you are expected to work the extra hours or answer work emails after hours? Are you everyone’s go-to for advice or to help out in some way?

I hate to break it to you but you may be part of the problem. You have trained your boss, partner, family, and friends to expect you to be there for them no matter what. The good news is that you can also train them to respect your boundaries.

Why do we say yes to everything? Why is setting boundaries so difficult?

Fear of disappointing others is a big one. Another one is the need for approval. Or you may feel obliged to say yes out of guilt. Some people avoid conflict at all costs and choose to go along with any request to get along with others. You may be conditioned not to set boundaries. It also could be based on cultural or societal expectations and norms. And finally, self-worth can play a role. If you have low self-esteem you may not feel you deserve to set boundaries.

Let’s move on to why it is important to set boundaries.

It protects your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It allows you to prioritize self-care and prevent burnout, resentment, and exhaustion.

It helps you to develop healthy relationships…

Stability is defined as the quality, state, or degree of being stable. I imagine a lot of us feel the need for stability at the present moment. Even if, as a rule, you do not crave stability, you may want it now. I certainly do, mostly because the greater world feels exceptionally unstable. I go between an obsessive need to know what’s going on in the world, trying to figure out if there is anything I can do to help, and reading everything I can find about the topic, to a forced media blackout when my emotional wellbeing is at risk.

If you crave stability, for whatever reason, here are a few tips.