Four Steps to Setting Better Boundaries
Struggling to say no or feeling stretched too thin? Learning how to set clear boundaries can help you reduce stress and prioritize what matters most.
Setting healthy boundaries with coworkers, friends, and family members can help build stronger relationships. Not sure how to speak up about what you need? We can help. Here are four simple steps to set boundaries in a healthy way.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a great time to focus on ways to protect your mental well-being. One important way to do that is by setting clear boundaries. This means letting others know what behaviors you are and are not comfortable with.
Boundaries are personal limits that help create healthy relationships. They are not about being mean, strict, or pushing people away. Instead, boundaries help protect your emotional health, lower stress, and prevent burnout. They can also help you make time for your own needs, especially if you often put others first.
By setting healthy boundaries, you can build relationships based on respect, understanding, and balance.
Remember the four steps by the letters D.E.A.R.:
D = Describe the situation.
Let’s say you’re calling a friend to talk about a shared struggle, and they make the situation about them. You could say, “When I call to vent about a problem I’m dealing with, you tend to make it about yourself.”
E = Express your feelings.
You may say, “When this happens, I feel hurt, sad or unheard.”
A = Assert what you want.
In the situation above, you may ask, “If I call to vent, please let me finish what I have to say and focus on my situation for at least 10 minutes.”
R = Reinforce why they should honor your boundary.
Explain how it can help your relationship. You may say something like, “If you listen to me vent uninterrupted, it will help me feel like you care, and that will strengthen our friendship.”
How can MetroHealth help?
Sometimes, we all need help navigating relationships. MetroHealth’s mental health professionals can offer the guidance you need. You don’t need to have a mental health diagnosis to talk to someone. Life is hard for everybody, and we all need more support.
Next Steps
To make an appointment with a MetroHealth behavioral health clinician, call 216-778-4428.
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