No means no - why boundaries begin with yourself

No means no - why boundaries begin with yourself

From Beyond the basement by Chris Kenworthy

May 5, 2026 · 31 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of setting personal boundaries and how they affect interactions with others.

In this episode, I explore a side of boundaries (what’s a yes or no in life) that doesn’t get talked about enough: the boundaries we set with ourselves. We often think of boundaries as something we use with other people - saying no, protecting our energy, asserting ourselves, eliminating toxicity or challenging behaviour. But what I’m discovering is that if I can’t hold a boundary with myself, it’s very hard to do it cleanly with anyone else. I’ll share what it feels like when you hit a solid no. For me that happened thiS morning, when I noticed how a business strategy I’d been using - cold outreach emailing - left me feeling drained, rejected, and quietly miserable. I’d been pushing through it with willpower, telling myself it was “good for me” and “necessary.” But my body said something very different. So I listened. And what emerged was a clear, grounded, self-respecting no. Which weirdly, led to a clear yes later. More trust and more alignment with your self, and by extension - others I want more of that, perhaps you do too. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chriskenworthy.substack.com

People in this episode

Host: Chris Kenworthy

Topics covered

  • boundaries
  • self-respect
  • personal growth
  • energy management
  • assertiveness

Keywords

  • boundaries
  • self-care
  • personal boundaries
  • energy
  • asserting oneself

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