7 Tips to Setting Boundaries & How to Identify You Need Them

We have passwords on everything from emails, laptops, phones, bank cards etc. all to protect our privacy and information. We even protect our homes and cars with burglar alarms, our property with fencing and signage, our snowy side walks with salt, the physical health of ourselves and our pets with vaccines and physical exams. Today, privacy and security are mainstream and essential, so why would we be so careless with something as critical as our energy? Living life pleasing others, agreeing to things we do not want to do, over-extending our self, not standing up for our self when someone makes us feel uncomfortable are all signs that we need to set boundaries. This can leave us feeling exhausted, overstimulated, dehydrated, irritable, angry, resentful, generally unwell. Many of us may feel obligated to share our energy with our loved ones, or fearful of losing their jobs, or judged by friends and guilty which prevents us from creating healthy boundaries. The key is to understand how to set boundaries when you cannot physically see the energetic space you are trying to protect.

Here are 7 tips to creating healthy boundaries and the benefits to our spiritual, mental and physical well-being:

Be grounded

• Have a support system in place to help you enforce your boundaries
• Feel safe and release fears of abandonment for setting boundaries
• Spend time in nature, keep plants at home and work
• Practice yoga, deep breathing and meditation

It is time to set boundaries if you are experiencing increased lower back pain, bone/joint issues, colon or prostate concerns, resistance to starting new things, and insecurity about living arrangements, nutrition or finances.

 Do something you like

• Accept your needs and desires are important
• Release feelings of guilt when setting boundaries
• Integrate a personal interest activity daily, even for 10 minutes
• Spend time near water, swimming, bath/showers, fountains or simply sitting by a body of water
• Experience the emotional or physical intimacy of relationships
• Practice yoga, aromatherapy and meditation

It is time to set boundaries if you are experiencing reproductive or urinary concerns, avoid social events or intimate situations and retreat from just about everything and have a hard time accepting new experiences or people into your life.

Use the ‘fire in your belly’

• Do things that you have drive and ambition to achieve
• Allow yourself to accept your personal power and value your self-worth
• Release shame associated with setting boundaries
• Eat a healthy diet filled with high vibration foods such as veggies and fruits
• Surround yourself with positive people or things as much as possible
• Include exercise into your daily routine such as jogging, walking, cardio work-out
• Try holistic healing such as reiki

It is time to set boundaries if you are experiencing digestion, liver, spleen, gallbladder, pancreas concerns, feelings of avoiding emotions or people and running from problems, have experienced a traumatic experience in the past, have an eating disorder or negative relationship with food, feel critical and judgmental towards others.

 Love more

• Surround yourself with love and self care
• Be understanding and patient with yourself and others
• Compassion through the love of pets, plants or children
• Do things out of love, not guilt or responsibility
• Give and take. You must give love and receive love equally
• Process the emotions of sadness or grief
• Experience healing touch, massage, reiki, laughter, deep breathing, meditation, hugs
• Spend time in nature

It is time to set boundaries if you are experiencing heart, upper back, breast, lung, blood, circulation concerns, feelings of grief and sadness that are unresolved, neglect yourself, own all the negative things that happen around you.

 Speak up

• Feel confident to express your feelings, needs and desires
• Practice speaking your truth through expression
• Have more meaningful conversations
• Set future goals
• Be more creative
• Be forgiving
• Surround yourself with music, humming, drumming, singing, dancing, art, pottery

It is time to set boundaries if you are experiencing neck, thyroid, ear, throat concerns, feelings of a constricted throat, trouble standing up for yourself, trouble accepting advice from others.

 Trust yourself

• Listen to your intuition
• Trust your moral compass to direct you on the right path
• Use your imagination to create positive solutions
• Meditate

It is time to set boundaries if you experience headaches, nightmares, constantly thinking, concerns with your eyes, vision, nose, sinuses, ears, brain, the pituitary gland, cerebellum, central nervous system.

 Live authentically

• Investigate areas of your life lacking or abundant in fulfillment
• Give yourself time to have clarity on your life’s plans
• Explore your life’s purpose set it in motion
• Connect to the universe and energy of Higher Self to provide insight and wisdom
• Spend time in the sun
• Practice gratitude for non-material things in life
• Surround yourself with meaningful activities and people that are working towards the greater good, such as volunteering or fundraising

It is time to set boundaries if you experience stress, headaches, obsessive thoughts, feelings of boredom, anxiety, depressive moods, trouble concentrating, feelings of exclusion, fear or not connecting to a higher purpose.

Everyday, more importance is placed on the health and wellness of our body, mind and soul and holistic healing and mindfulness is becoming widely accepted. Listening to what our body, mind and soul is telling us is vital to maintaining a healthy balance and setting boundaries.