Main Takeaways

• Physical boundaries protect your body and space, as well as your privacy.
• Emotional boundaries defend your right to have your own feelings and thoughts.
• Sexual boundaries include limitations on how others touch you, the way you are treated by others in sexual situations, and things you are comfortable with, like touching other people's bodies.

Have you ever been in an uncomfortable situation at school, work, home or even in a relationship? Try creating a boundary with the person (or people) making you uncomfortable.

Boundaries are guidelines that a person uses to decide how others should treat them and what they should do if those boundaries are violated. There are several different types, including physical boundaries, emotional boundaries, and sexual boundaries.

Physical boundaries

Your physical boundaries tell others how close they can come to you, what kind of physical touch is acceptable, how much privacy you require, and how people should act in your space.

Emotional boundaries

Emotional boundaries defend your right to have your own feelings and thoughts, to not have your feelings questioned or invalidated, and to not be responsible for the feelings of others. Your feelings are separated from those of the rest of the world by emotional boundaries.

Sexual boundaries

These boundaries differ from physical boundaries since typically, these are established during sexual activity. Allowing your partner(s) to set their own limits and respecting their choices is also part of it. An example of a sexual boundary might be that you choose not to have sex without birth control.

How to Set Boundaries

Setting limits is all about communication. The most important step toward defining your limitations is communicating your wants and objectives. Three steps to establishing boundaries are:

• You must value yourself to feel worthy of yourself, and you must believe that you are deserving in order to feel worthy of yourself. One way to do this is to prioritize your own needs. Doing this will make you stronger.
• Consider the things that bother you and listen to your inner voice. Understand when enough is enough. Don’t let others tell you what to feel comfortable with. You should set limits for yourself as you are the most knowledgeable about yourself.
• Be honest about your needs and wants through communication. The most important step toward creating a safe space for yourself in the world is understanding your limitations and communicating them to those around you.

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