This post explains how to use boundaries circle worksheet to help you identify safe people in your life.
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What Are Boundaries?
A boundary defines what’s yours (your feelings, your responsibilities, your rights, your space, etc.) and what’s not yours.
Through boundaries, you communicate to others how you want to be treated, what is okay and not okay with you.
Setting boundaries doesn’t mean cutting people off.
In fact, boundaries help you maintain healthy relationship and feel safe and comfortable in those relationships. They prevent abuse and ensure that everyone has their needs honored and met.
Related: Top 25 Tips On How To Set Boundaries In A Toxic Relationship? (+FREE Worksheets PDF)
Do You Struggle With Setting Healthy Boundaries?
Does any of the following sounds familiar?
You often say yes to things you don’t have time to do.
You allow people to borrow items and not return them.
You wait for others to figure out what you need.
You often do what others want without considering your own needs or availability.
You often feel resentful when others ask for help and feel angry at yourself for feeling that way.
If so, then you may need to practice setting healthier boundaries.
Related: Top 19 Journal Prompts For Boundaries
Boundaries Circle Worksheet
Boundaries circle is a tool to help you decide with whom and how much you share of your personal space, time, and intimate information.
You may think of your relationships in terms of circles:
Inner circle – people in this circle has earned your trust and you feel you can let them into your life more. (e.g. romantic partner, safe family members, close friends, etc.)
Middle circle – people in this circle are supportive and you can trust but your relationship isn’t as intimate as your relationships with those who are in the inner circle. (e.g. friends, relatives, etc.)
Outer circle – people in this circle are supportive and you want to keep them in your life, but you don’t want to share intimate information about yourself with them. (e.g. professionals who help you, acquaintance, etc.)
To help you decide on who belongs to which circle, answer the following questions:
- What are the characteristics of people in your inner circle?
- How do you decide when a person moves from one circle to another?
- How much and what kind of information do you share with people in your inner circle? Middle circle? Outer circle?
- How much time or energy do you want to spend on people in each circle?
Related: What Do Boundaries Sound Like? + 35 Boundaries Examples
Boundaries Resources
Books
Boundaries by Henry Cloud, John Townsend
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
The Set Boundaries Workbook by Nedra Glover Tawwab
The Better Boundaries Workbook by Sharon Martin MSW LCSW
The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban
Related: Top 10 Books About Setting Boundaries
TED Talks
Building a Better Life with Boundaries | Christi Anne Bela
No Limits, Only Boundaries | James Officer
Setting Work-Life Boundaries | Carlos Hidalgo
How Boundaries Make Space For The Sweet Things In Life | Yasmine Cheyenne
The Power of Work Boundaries | Woodrie Burich
We Need More Boundaries, Less Walls | Kai Zwiebel
Podcasts
The Boundaries.me Podcast hosted by Dr. Henry Cloud
Conclusion
Boundaries are important to our wellbeing.
However, for many of us, setting boundaries doesn’t come naturally.
We’re afraid to say no or assert ourselves because we don’t want to offend people or disappoint them.
Eventually we lose track of we are and what matters to us most because we’re overly focused on other people’s wants and needs.
We end up feeling unappreciated and frustrated.
