Boundaries 101

Boundaries 101

Protecting your energy without pushing people away.

A boundary is a limit you set about what you will and won’t do, so you can stay well and keep your relationships healthy. Boundaries aren’t mean or selfish. This one-page worksheet makes them clear, practical and doable, especially for people-pleasers and anyone who was taught that saying no is unkind.

What’s inside

• The boundary spectrum: porous (too open), healthy (the sweet spot) and rigid (too closed), with real examples of each and the reminder that most of us move around depending on the person and the day.
• Six types of boundaries with what they can sound like: body and space, emotional, time and energy, digital, things and money, and sensory.
• Signs you might need a boundary: a quick checklist, including masking or pushing through sensory overload to keep others comfortable.
• Boundary, request or ultimatum? A clear comparison of the three, so your boundary is about your own actions, not controlling someone else.
• A simple boundary script: “When ___, I feel ___. I need ___. If it happens again, I will ___,” with a worked example.
• What to expect and holding it: why guilt is normal at first, what to do with pushback, and how to follow through without over-explaining.
• A “Your Turn” planning section: where you need a boundary, what you’ll say, what you’ll do if it’s crossed, and who can support you.

Who it’s for

Teens and adults working on people-pleasing, resentment, burnout or relationship stress. It’s useful for therapists, school counselors and groups.

Ways to use it

• Explore the spectrum in session to see where a client tends to land.
• Draft and rehearse a real boundary script before a hard conversation.
• Use it with teens around friendships, phones and privacy.
• Pair it with DEAR MAN for bigger asks.

Why it’s different

Sensory and digital boundaries count as real boundaries, masking is named as a warning sign, and guilt is normalized instead of treated as proof you did something wrong.

What you get

A one-page printable PDF, US Letter, available as an instant download. Single-clinician license included.

Pairs well with: DEAR MAN One-Sheet, Feelings + Needs Inventory, Building Confidence