When you hear the word “boundaries,” what comes to mind?
Perhaps yours are rigid, like a stone wall or a boulder. Solid, but also exhausting to maintain.
On the flip side, you might feel the boundaries in your business and/or life are more like fragile bubbles. They look clear, but the moment someone presses against them, they pop.
As a business owner, neither of those extremes will work for you.
A boulder boundary leaves no room for adaptability, which is vital in the ever-changing world of fitness, health and wellbeing. A bubble boundary collapses under pressure, leaving you resentful and overworked.
This is why I tell my clients that their boundaries need to be more like bamboo. Strong in their roots and flexible enough to bend without breaking.
Bamboo boundaries are a mindset. They say to the world: “I know who I am, I know what I stand for, and I can adjust without losing myself.” They are grounded in clarity but not rigid.
Think about your diary as an example of a place where boundaries can become a battle ground, fighting for your time.
A boulder boundary might be “I will never change my timetable for anyone.”
A bubble boundary might be “I’ll bend over backwards every time someone asks me to.
A bamboo boundary sounds more like:
“These are my standard class times. Occasionally, if it genuinely works for me, I’ll offer an alternative, but that’s the exception, not the rule.”
Mindset makes all the difference.
When you see boundaries as punishment or rejection, you avoid setting them. But when you reframe them as a structure that supports both you and your clients, they become something positive. Boundaries are the scaffolding of trust.
Clients respect clear boundaries. They like to know where they stand, and when you enforce them consistently but with warmth, they flourish. Clients show up, they commit, and they trust you. Flexible boundaries, like bamboo, create a safe container for everyone to thrive.
Ask yourself: which kind of boundaries do I currently hold?
Are they boulders that leave me exhausted, bubbles that leave me resentful, or bamboo that keep me strong yet flexible?
Boundaries aren’t selfish, they are essential. When you hold them like bamboo, you protect your energy, honour your values, and give your business the foundation it needs to grow.
If you’d like coaching to help you create your boundaries or to understand why boundaries aren’t or are working for you right now, email me philippa@holdmyhandcoaching.com and let’s talk.
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x