Skill of Disappointing People

Welcome to Living Well Daily, the newsletter serving up a daily dose of care designed to support you, cheer you on and remind you, always, just how wonderful you already are.

In Today’s Edition:

Look for evidence for why you can.
Because you absolutely can.
You’ve got this!

Many of us were taught that being “good” meant being agreeable, helpful, and easy - always - no matter the personal cost. As you practice standing in your own truth and being authentic to your own needs, you’re often faced with a choice: do I continue to tirelessly accommodate others even when it hurts me to do so, or do I learn to set better boundaries?

Growth often requires tolerating someone else’s disappointment. 

Disappointing someone doesn’t automatically mean you’ve done something wrong. Sometimes it simply means your needs, and theirs don’t align.

When you avoid disappointing others at all costs, you may end up disappointing yourself. So what makes setting boundaries so hard, and how do we start to build this skill even when it feels scary? Let’s take a look.

What makes this skill hard:
• 😬 Fear of conflict or withdrawal
• 🤝 Over-responsibility for others’ emotions
• 🧠 Equating boundaries with selfishness
• 💭 Imagining worst-case outcomes
• 🔁 Habitual people-pleasing patterns

The truth is, despite how hard boundary setting can feel, it helps us build healthy, respectful relationships. And, the skill gets easier with practice. Here are tips to get you started.

Ways to practice this skill:
• 🫁 Regulate your body before responding
• 💬 Use clear, calm language (“I’m not able to commit to that.”)
• 🎯 You’re allowed to set boundaries without over-explaining
• 🧭 Separate discomfort from wrongdoing
• 💙 Remind yourself: others can handle their feelings
• 🥰 Reaffirm: I’m allowed to honor my truth.

Healthy relationships can hold honesty. Healthy relationships can work to develop understanding and shift dynamics to help everyone feel cared for and respected.

And your needs matter too.

✅ Action step: Identify one place where you might need to say no and consider one simple, respectful sentence you could use.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

If you’re a decision maker at your company, you need to be on the bleeding edge of, well, everything. But before you go signing up for seminars, conferences, lunch ‘n learns, and all that jazz, just know there’s a far better (and simpler) way: Subscribing to The Deep View.

This daily newsletter condenses everything you need to know about the latest and greatest AI developments into a 5-minute read. Squeeze it into your morning coffee break and before you know it, you’ll be an expert too.

Subscribe right here. It’s totally free, wildly informative, and trusted by 600,000+ readers at Google, Meta, Microsoft, and beyond.

Iron is an important mineral your body depends on, helping carry oxygen through your blood, fuel your energy, and keep your mind sharp. Yet iron deficiency remains common, especially among women; it is estimated that 25-33% of women aged 18-50 have low iron.

There are two forms of iron: heme (animal-based) and non-heme (plant-based). Heme iron is more bioavailable and easier for your body to absorb, but you can use way #2 to help your body absorb more non-heme iron.

Here are 5 ways to help get more iron: 

✅ Action Step: This week, try adding one iron-rich food to each meal and notice how your energy shifts by Friday.

^{By: Joshua Graham | Sources: PMID: 24778671, PMID: 10799377, PMID: 3722654, PMID: 10999016}

^{A reflective journaling prompt to explore learning, self-awareness, and becoming.}

What’s something you now understand that you didn’t a year ago? How has that shifted your choices?

Before you go, let us know what you thought of today’s edition and if there are any subjects you would like us to cover in the future reply to this email and let us know!

If you find our newsletter helpful, we’d love for you to share it with a friend! If you’re that friend, you can subscribe here. Thanks for spreading the word! xo

With love and care,

Lola & Joshua | The Living Well Team

^{Living Well Daily is for educational purposes only and is in no way a substitute for professional medical and mental health advice and diagnosis. Please consult a qualified professional for care unique to your needs.}

^{Remember: It’s okay to ask for help. Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 (Canada & US).}