We learn just about everything from our families-including our ability to communicate our thoughts, feelings, and needs. If you weren’t allowed to have boundaries at home, you may not have learned how to have boundaries with other people. Overcoming the fears of upsetting your family can lead to closer and more transparent relationships with your parents, siblings, etc.

We want to make our friends happy. Keeping them happy helps to keep them in our lives. But, it can be hard to tell them “no” and you fear upsetting them, even to the point that they may not want to be your friend anymore. However, boundaries are actually necessary in keeping friendships healthy and can even foster closer and more meaningful relationships.

This can be one of the most difficult places in life to set boundaries because it’s taboo to tell your boss “no.” Poor boundaries at work may negatively impact work-life balance and job satisfaction. But we spend 1/3 of our day at work. Setting more reasonable expectations for yourself in the workplace-and maybe being less agreeable with your boss- can lessen your burnout and prevent resentment in your career.

You’re not completely innocent here. Giving others permission to mistreat you, not standing up for yourself, or saying “yes” to things you don’t want to commit to is how you’re contributing to the problem. Confidence can take you a long way in setting boundaries to protect your energy.