Why Smart, Successful Women Struggle to Set Boundaries (And How to Fix It)

Written By Dr. Nima

On February 24, 2025

Many women I’ve worked with — CEOs, executives, coaches, and entrepreneurs — have told me some version of this same story.

“I know I should set boundaries... but in the moment, I just can’t seem to do it.”

They’ve read the books.
They’ve taken the leadership courses.
They know, intellectually, that boundaries are essential.

And yet…

They agree to take on more than they have capacity for.
They soften their no into a “maybe” so they don’t upset anyone.
They make exceptions — just this once — for a demanding client, a pushy colleague, or a friend who always needs something.
They say yes when their entire body is screaming no.

Why does this happen?

Because boundary issues aren’t about a lack of knowledge.
They’re about a deeply-wired survival response.

For many high-achieving women, over-giving and over-functioning didn’t start in business.

It started in childhood.

It started when you learned that being helpful, agreeable, or accommodating made people around you more comfortable.
It started when you realized that saying no led to conflict, disappointment, or rejection.
It started when you absorbed the unspoken rule that your value was in what you could do for others, not in who you already were.

So even now, as a successful, intelligent woman, your nervous system still interprets boundaries as a threat to survival.

That’s why this feels so hard.

Not because you don’t know how to set boundaries.

But because, on some level, your body fears what will happen if you do.

Here’s how to solve this PERMANENTLY;

You need to rewire the way you experience boundaries at the level of your nervous system.

That’s exactly what we’ll be working on in Trigger-Proof & Magnetic: The Self-Worth Code for Women Who Lead.

Inside this live masterclass, I’ll show you:

  • Why boundary struggles aren’t mindset issues — but nervous system issues.
  • How to set limits without guilt, fear, or over-explaining yourself.
  • Why some women keep attracting people who don’t respect their boundaries — and how to prevent that.
  • A guided exercise to help women shift from people-pleasing to embodied leadership in real-time.

If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I know better, but I still struggle to say no,” this is for you.

We go live Wednesday, February 26th at 5:30pm PST (8:30pm EST).
That's Thursday the 27th at 12:30pm in Sydney.

Click HERE to sing up
With compassion and clarity,

Your wingman on the adventure,

Nima

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