If you’ve ever been guilty of feeling a pang of guilt for refusing, or worried that setting a boundary would render you selfish or cruel, never fear. To many women, prioritizing themselves feels taboo, entwined in a mix of cultural conditioning and personal expectation. The reality is, acquiring the skills to establish healthy boundaries—and do so without feeling guilty—is one of the most powerful acts of self-respect you can commit to.
Guilt sneaks in because, from an early age, women are taught to be accommodating, nurturing, and self-sacrificing. As the writer at TruerLove explains, girls are encouraged to be nice, humble, and respectful to others first, and boys are applauded for defending themselves and being competitive. Early conditioning makes it feel almost bad to put yourself first, particularly where it concerns relationships, family, or career.
This internalized guilt isn’t something to get over—it can have lasting impacts. As TruerLove elucidates, when guilt is driving your actions, you present as a representative of yourself instead of yourself. This leads to insincere relationships, bitterness, and a loop in which your worthiness gets diminished each time you let someone barge past your limits. This accumulates over time to form anxiety, depression, and an ongoing sense of being underappreciated.
But what precisely are boundaries? As Henry Cloud and John Townsend define them in their book Boundaries, boundaries are the invisible lines that delineate what’s okay for you—bodily, emotionally, and mentally. They’re not barriers to keep people out, but guidelines for how you’d like to be treated. Setting boundaries is a ministry of self-love, not selfishness. If you respect your own boundaries, you’ll come to expect others to do the same.
The guilt feelings that come with setting boundaries typically come from the fear of letting down other people or being hard to get along with. As Murielle Marie has noted, women are trained their value is in serving other people. When you finally make up your mind for yourself, the guilt, shame, and fear begin pouring in, and you’re thinking about whether you’re doing something wrong. But this is mere old programming—a set of assumptions handed down by a patriarchal culture that taught women to prioritize everyone else’s needs but their own.
So how do you move past the guilt and start setting boundaries confidently? First, sit with the discomfort. As No Worries Wellness suggests, guilt is just a feeling—it doesn’t mean your boundary is incorrect. Allow yourself to feel the guilt without judgment. Gently remind yourself that you’re not responsible for other people’s emotions and that self-care isn’t selfish, it’s necessary in healthy relationships.
Practical strategies can make this process easier. Using “I” statements instead of “you” statements helps communicate your needs without putting others on the defensive. For example, saying “I feel more comfortable meeting in public” rather than “You’re making me uncomfortable” can open up a more productive conversation. Setting clear parameters upfront, as TruerLove recommends, can also prevent awkward situations later on.
You also need to be kind to yourself. Listen to your inner voice when you feel guilty, and replace judgmental thoughts with reminders that you deserve to be heard and understood. The more you practice becoming a boundary-setter, the easier it becomes. Over time, standing up for yourself is less of a radical thing to do and more of a natural part of living unapologetically.
The most essential thing is assertively communicating boundaries. As cited in Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab, clear and assertive communication lies at the center of successfully setting boundaries. You’re not being aggressive or confrontational; you’re just expressing your needs honestly and respectfully. If someone has a negative reaction, remember that it’s not your duty to determine how they would rather react. You can acknowledge their feelings without internalizing their emotions.
Changing your values of self-worth and boundaries is a lifetime process. Murielle Marie points out that letting go of over-giving and fear of standing up for yourself is a process of time and commitment. It requires a change of heart—a change of mind, really, that your own needs are not only equally as valid as anyone else’s but just as so. The more you practice, the less awkward it is to choose yourself without guilt.
Lastly, boundary-setting is about claiming your life and honoring your own needs. It has nothing to do with shutting people out, but rather, it’s about making space for true connection and respect. When you stop apologizing for your needs and start embracing your worth, you create space for healthier, more fulfilling relationships—with others and with yourself.