The Guilt of Saying No

JUNE 2026

I used to think setting boundaries meant I was being difficult.

That saying no needed an explanation. That if someone was disappointed in me, I had somehow done something wrong.

I’ve spent so much of my life making space for other people. Their feelings, their expectations, their comfort. And somewhere along the way, I realised how often I was doing that at the expense of my own.

I’m learning that I can love people and still say no. I can care deeply and still choose myself. I can change what I’m willing to accept, even if I accepted it before.

The hardest part hasn’t actually been setting the boundary.

It’s been learning not to feel guilty for having one.

— Anonymous

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