Hi guys! Welcome to episode 567 of the wildly successful lifestyle podcast! It’s good to be with you! How ya doing? I hope this finds you healthy and happy and living your best life! I’ve been thinking a lot about something that has really changed how I live my life in a way and that is the idea that people will treat you how you allow them to treat you. Whether you’re running your own business, navigating relationships with friends and family, or just trying to live your life more on your own terms this episode is all about setting boundaries, valuing your time, and teaching others to respect you. Sounds good to me….
“As an interior designer, I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible clients—people who make my job so much fun. But I’ve also learned a tough lesson: people will treat you based on the boundaries you set. Before I started my design business, I worked in real estate, where I was always on. I’d answer calls at 9 PM, work every weekend, and basically let my clients’ schedules run my life. It was exhausting, and it’s one of the main reasons I left that industry, even though I loved it.
When I transitioned to design, I vowed things would be different. But here’s the catch—clients don’t magically know your boundaries. Cell phones make it so easy for people to assume you’re available 24/7. Early on, I’d get texts at 5 AM on a Sunday from a new client with some idea they had to share. At first, I felt this pressure to respond right away—after all, I’m running my own business, and I want to keep clients happy. But I realized that if I answered that 5 AM text, I was telling them it was okay to contact me anytime. And trust me, I was not okay with that.
So, I set some ground rules: no business calls after 5 PM unless it’s a true emergency, and no work on weekends. Period. If someone texts me outside those hours, I wait until Monday morning after 8 AM to respond. It’s not about being rigid—it’s about protecting my energy and building a life I love.”
“What I’ve learned is that people follow your lead. If you act like your time is valuable, others will start to treat it that way too. But if you’re always saying yes to every request or answering emails at midnight, you’re teaching people that your time isn’t worth respecting. And honestly, that’s not their fault—it’s on us to set the tone.
This really hit home when it came to charging for my time. As a designer, so much of my work happens behind the scenes—researching, sketching, sourcing materials. Early in my career, I’d undercharge or throw in extra hours for free because I wanted to be ‘nice.’ But that led to burnout and clients who didn’t fully appreciate my work. I had to learn that if I don’t value my time enough to charge for it, my clients won’t either.
So, I got clear about my rates and upfront about my process. I started saying, ‘This is how I work, this is how long it takes, and this is what it costs.’ Most clients respect that clarity—it builds trust. It’s not about being greedy; it’s about owning your worth and teaching others to see it too.
I once had a prospective client I absolutely adored. She was enthusiastic, but she was moving at warp speed. It was Friday, and she was already scheduling workers for the following Monday, expecting me to jump in immediately. In my mind, I thought, ‘She has no idea how much time it takes to create a thoughtful design plan.’ I could’ve said yes and scrambled, but I knew that wasn’t sustainable. So, I told her I couldn’t take on her project with that timeline because it wouldn’t allow me to do my best work. I was clear about the time I needed and why it mattered.
You know what happened? She saw how much I valued my process and my time. Instead of walking away, she offered me a hefty flat fee to take the time I needed to create a proper plan. It was a win-win for both of us. That moment showed me: people won’t value your time if you don’t, and they won’t respect you if you don’t respect yourself.
It’s really about deciding what matters most to you. For me, it’s having my weekends and evenings for my family and friends. The key is not to wait for someone to cross a boundary, but to be proactive. Once they’ve crossed a boundary now you have the awkward job of telling them but if you tell them up front Hey, This is when I’m available, and this is how I work. I mean clear communication upfront saves so much stress later.
And there’ll be moments when you’re tempted to bend—maybe it’s a big client or a pushy friend. But every time you hold firm, you’re teaching people how to treat you. It gets easier with practice, and the payoff is huge.
When you set boundaries, you’re not just protecting your time—you’re creating a life that feels really good instead of just taking whatever comes your way.
Here’s my challenge for you this week: take a moment today to scan your life—where’s one place you’re letting someone treat you in a way that doesn’t feel right? Maybe it’s a client emailing you at all hours or a friend who always expects you to drop everything. Pick one boundary to set that protects your time or energy, and commit to it. Maybe it’s saying, ‘I’ll get back to you tomorrow,’ or ‘I’m not available on weekends.’ Start small, but start now. You deserve to be treated in a way that makes you feel respected and seen, but you have to set that bar. Share this with three people who are working on living their best life! . I love you guys, I’ll talk to you in a few days!
