The Power of Boundaries: Protecting Your Time, Energy, and Peace

I used to say “yes” far too often. Yes, I’ll do that for you, even when I was really busy or tired and I didn’t want to do. Yes, to people who drained me. Yes, to demands that left me depleted. I thought being available made me kind, helpful, even lovable. But deep down, I was tired, overwhelmed, and quietly resentful. When someone asked me where are your boundaries? I had no idea what this meant. When I found Emotional Freedom Techniques / tapping it was the answer I didn’t know I needed. I began to understand what boundaries are and why they are needed and how it is possible, after the emotions have been cleared around a person or people pleasing behaviours, to put a boundary in place.

Why Boundaries Are Essential

Boundaries are not walls to keep people out; they’re fences with gates, designed to protect your energy, your values, and your emotional well-being. Without them, life can feel like a constant state of giving without receiving, doing without resting, and pleasing others while you put yourself last. (abandoning yourself and your needs)

Healthy boundaries help you:

• Stay emotionally and physically well
• Build respectful, mutual relationships
• Reduce resentment and burnout
• Honour your needs, time, and truth

How to Put Boundaries in Place

1. Get Clear on Your Limits
   Tune into your body and emotions, am I feeling responsible for something that is not mine?
2. Am I doing this because of feelings of guilt?
3. When do you feel drained, irritated, or overwhelmed? This could be because you have been giving others your time was it necessary are they capable of doing or sorting this for themselves maybe a boundary is needed.
4. Communicate Clearly and Calmly
   You don’t need to over-explain. A simple, kind statement is enough:
   “I’m not available for that right now.”
   “I need some time to recharge this weekend.”
5. Start Small and Practice
   Boundaries can feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re used to people-pleasing. Begin with unimportant situations and build confidence.

How to Stick to Your Boundaries

• Expect Pushback
  Some people won’t like your boundaries, especially if they benefited from your lack of them. That’s not a sign to back down. It’s a sign they were needed.
• Remind Yourself of Your 'Why'
  Remember you are doing this: to protect your energy and giving yourself permission to take care of you because you are important.
• To enable you to have the space to show up more fully in your life, and create relationships rooted in respect.
• Celebrate Your Progress
  Every time you honour a boundary; you’re strengthening your self-respect and showing yourself that your needs matter… Because they do!

Putting boundaries in with family members can be challenging I’ve learned that saying “no” is saying “yes to me” By using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping) I have been able to see how fear, guilt or misplaced responsibility was not allowing me to understand why boundaries are a necessity.

Boundaries have now given me back my peace, my time, and my clarity.

If you’re feeling stretched too thin, it might be time to build some gates, not to shut people out, but to let in what truly nurtures you. EFT Tapping is a modality that will allow you to clearly see why we all need boundaries and enable you to put them in place where you need them most.

You are allowed to protect your energy. In fact, you must.