Today, we are going to talk about BOUNDARIES.
Wait. Let’s pause there. What comes up for you when I even say the word boundaries?
For so many of us, we hear the word “boundaries” and we start to feel anxious. We start to feel guilty, stressed, or even scared. Boundaries are important, but they are so difficult!
Friend, if this is you, today is for you. Boundaries does not need to be a scary word! If you struggle to understand what boundaries can look like, how boundaries help your relationships, or why it’s meaningful to establish healthy boundaries – this podcast episode is for you.
We will look at physical, intellectual, emotional, and scheduling boundaries. What are they? What do they look like? And we’ll dig into how boundaries not only protect our own mental health and emotional wellbeing, but also helps you to love others well. We’ll even take a look at three examples from the Bible of how Jesus set healthy boundaries for himself.
If your boundaries are feeling a little fuzzy, jump in with us today for encouragement, grace, and help!
Listen to Episode 13:
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P.S. … If you find today’s episode about boundaries helpful, you may want to check out my Recommended Resources for Self-Care and Identity.
Episode Show Notes
Boundaries can be a scary and overwhelming thing. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
In today’s episode, we are diving in to help us feel more comfortable with the idea of boundaries.
(But really, you’ll get so much more from listening to the whole episode!)
What are boundaries?
- Physical (know your comfort zone and stick to it)
- Intellectual (be careful about what media or ideas you let influence you)
- Emotional (don’t get sucked in to other people’s emotional state)
- Scheduling (just say no!)
Why do boundaries matter?
- Boundaries help us care for ourselves well. They protect our energy, emotions, and resources.
- They allow us to prioritize what is truly most important to us, both the people and the activities.
- Our family can experience the best of us because we are not stretched too thin and we are modeling a healthy lifestyle of boundaries.
- Boundaries create opportunity for other people to step up into their own actions or plans that God has prepared for them (not us!) to do.
Here are some examples of Jesus’ boundaries in the Bible:
- He took time for physical refreshment – eating with friends, taking naps when he could, getting away by himself for spiritual renewal with God the Father.
- Jesus did not do everything for everyone. He expected people to do the things they were able to do, while He took care of the things that only He could do.
- He said no to people. Even powerful important people like Herod, Jesus did not always answer other people’s questions, perform miracles they wanted to see, or do the things they asked him to do.
Hopefully, you feel more comfortable now with the idea of boundaries. You understand what they can look like and why they are important.
What’s next? Self-assessment. When you say yes or no to something that is put in front of you, take note of WHY you answer the way that you do. Why do you say yes? Why do you say no? Is the reason really in line with your life’s priorities?
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Don’t forget to sign up for the Relationship Reset FREE 5-Day Email Course!
And if you found today’s episode about boundaries encouraging, you may find my Recommended Self Care and Identity Resources helpful.
As a disclaimer: I am a licensed therapist but this podcast is not therapy. It is not personal advice to your specific situation. If you believe professional counseling may be helpful for you in this season of life, you may find this article on the Love Your People Well website helpful.
