5 Tips for Setting and Maintaining Personal Boundaries

Maybe you’ve heard the term ‘boundaries’ before, and have had practice implementing them into your life - or maybe you’re new to the concept and could use a little guidance in that area. Either way, here, we’ll list 5 ways to help you set your own strong, personal boundaries.

Boundaries are so important when it comes to establishing and protecting our mental health! Healthy limits around what you will do and how you will be treated can play a vital role in so many areas of our lives, including professional and personal relationships.

1. Recognize that you deserve to be treated with respect

One of the biggest barriers to setting and maintaining personal boundaries comes from the false belief that we don’t deserve to hold them, and thus, don’t deserve respect from others. This is, of course, not true! If you find that this is something you struggle with, know that it’s possible to work through those erroneous beliefs, you don’t have to stay stuck in that mindset.

2. Know your values

Taking some time to list out your values, priorities, and limits can help when it comes time to determine if something is within our set of boundaries or not. Instead of saying “yes” to someone else, first make sure you’re saying “yes” to yourself!

3. Be consistent

Oftentimes, when we’re just starting out with setting boundaries, we get pushback from people around us who aren’t used to hearing “no”. Because of this, it’s important to be ready to stand your ground and remain consistent with what you want and need.

4. Communicate clearly

It’s okay to say “no”! Practice saying “no” when you don’t want to do something and remember that you don’t ever have to explain yourself or provide an excuse.

5. Respect other people’s boundaries

It’s important to understand that people (you included!) can set boundaries to protect their own well-being. When we accept this as a positive, it’s much easier to be gracious and respectful to your friends and loved ones who are setting boundaries for themselves.

If these concepts and behaviors are foreign or seem uncomfortable to you, that’s okay! Try experimenting with them, and fine-tune the process to something that works for you. In the end, establishing healthy boundaries is an excellent form of self-care and does wonders for your emotional and mental health.