Ali asks 'what do healthy boundaries look and sound like?'

Ali asks 'what do healthy boundaries look and sound like?'

Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to say when other people have their expectations and we might agree to things we aren’t comfortable with. Here are some examples of situations and the responses you can give.

What Do Healthy Boundaries Look and Sound Like:

Looks like…	Sounds like…
Listening to your own opinion	‘I know you mean well, but I know what is best for me.’
Being comfortable saying no	‘Please respect my decision.’
Being comfortable hearing no	‘Understood, thanks for considering my offer/point of view.’
Asking someone to listen, instead of giving advice	‘I would like you to listen without offering solutions.’
Starting and ending a meeting on time	‘I want to respect everyone’s time, so we’ll need to pause until next time.’
Requesting clarity about something	‘I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Can you provide more detail?’
Moving away from someone who is in your space	‘Please don’t touch me that way’
Giving yourself space when you need it	‘I need a few moments to myself’
Staying home	‘I can’t make it to ___ today. Thank you for the invite.’
Declining a second date	‘I’m not interested in going out again.’
Responding to an insulting comment	‘What you said was offensive to me. Please do not say that again.’
Keeping information private	‘That’s not something I’d like to share.’
Not loaning money or possessions	‘I’m not comfortable with that. Is there another way I can support you.’

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Ali asks 'what do healthy boundaries look and sound like?'