Examples of Boundaries

Every single one of us needs boundaries.

These are the limits to how people can treat us.

If someone crosses one of our boundaries, we warn them. If they persist, we take action. We may limit their access to us, avoid being in unsafe situations with them, or end the relationship completely.

Nowhere do we need boundaries more than in romantic relationships.

But many of us have never sat down and thought about our boundaries. What are our limits? What would cause us to say, “Enough is enough. I’m out of here”?

Here are some examples from real-life women to get you started.

Boundaries I Would Never Cross—Even for Love

• I won’t be in a relationship with anyone who lies to me or about me.
• I won’t be with a man who doesn’t treat me with kindness and respect.
• I will walk away if he prioritizes his preferences over my comfort (like planning a cruise for my birthday when he knows I get seasick).
• I will leave if he flirts openly with others in front of me, then dismisses my feelings when I confront him.
• I will end it if he’s habitually glued to his phone during our time together, making me feel invisible, and doesn’t even notice.
• I will walk away if he goes through my phone and dismisses it as ‘no big deal.’ Privacy is not optional to me.
• I will break up if he consistently doesn’t make time for me, even when we’re in a long-distance relationship.
• I will dump him if he rushes physical intimacy before we’ve agreed on exclusivity. My emotional safety matters.
• I will end the relationship if my emotional needs for mutual effort and attention are met with constant excuses or minimal effort.

Learn more about boundaries.