So many people role play a conversation in their head over and over that by the time the conversation actually happens they are not able to actively listen to the response and words of the other person. This is particularly true when trying to set a boundary.
We imagine and over think and analyze their response that we become so blinded to the idea that they may very well in fact support or seek to understand/empathize with it. We have essentially closed ourselves off to the very thing we desire— connection and an opportunity to be seen and understood.
This isn’t to say they will always get it. This is to say that sometimes, they might. Be open to the possibility that it may go better than you planned. And if it doesn’t, trust that you can adjust your sails at any time. 🤍