Are you constantly feeling drained by the people around you? Do you find it challenging to protect your energy?

It’s high time we talked about energetic boundaries – the invisible barriers that help safeguard our emotional and mental well-being.

Energetic boundaries are crucial for maintaining a healthy balance in our lives, but most of us don’t even know where to begin. 

Understanding Energetic Boundaries

Energetic boundaries, unlike physical ones, are subtle but mighty. They set the limit between our energy and others’. Weak or lost boundaries mean we might absorb other people’s emotions or thoughts, leaving us feeling confused and emotionally drained.

Signs that we have weak energetic boundaries include feeling swamped in the presence of strong personalities, sudden emotional shifts, or problems distinguishing our feelings from others.

How to set energetic boundaries

Practice Me/Not-Me

The “Me/Not-Me” concept is a powerful tool for setting energetic boundaries. Basically, it’s about recognizing what is truly you and what comes from others.

Picture yourself as a house – just as you wouldn’t let strangers wander into your home, you shouldn’t let external thoughts or emotions invade your space.

To make this concept work, we should spend some time exploring our beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. Ask yourself: What do I really believe? How do I feel? What’s on my mind? This helps us determine what belongs to us and what’s from the outside.

Also, it’s important to be mindful of how we interact with others. Once we understand how our energy affects those around us, we can defend against negative influences that drain us.

By practising the me/not-me concept, you can maintain your sense of self. That way, you’ll feel secure and confident in any situation.

Take time for yourself

Make sure to pencil in some time every day to do something you enjoy. It could be as simple as going for a walk or reflecting on your thoughts and feelings in a journal. 

Taking time for yourself is so important for recharging and establishing energetic boundaries. 

It allows you to reconnect with yourself and reflect on how you want to navigate this crazy, beautiful world.

Learn to say no

Give yourself permission to live life on your terms and say no when you need to. Saying no can be tough at first, but it’s essential for protecting your energy.

If someone asks for help and it’s something you can’t do or if you’ve been invited somewhere and you just don’t want to go, try being honest and direct about why it doesn’t work for you. 

You don’t need to explain your decision, but you may choose to share why if you want to.

Be gentle yet firm when you communicate, and strive to respect the other person’s feelings while maintaining your own boundaries.

Don’t people please 

People-pleasing can be a barrier to setting strong, energetic boundaries. To minimize it in your life, focus on honouring your values rather than worrying about how others will react. 

It’s also important to evaluate your relationships and identify whether the people in your life are supportive of you and respect your boundaries.

If there are any relationships or interactions that cause you to feel drained or anxious, it’s best to distance yourself from them. 

Also, practice asserting yourself when faced with difficult situations and remember that it’s ok to be firm in your responses. 

Establishing clear boundaries and sticking to them will help you avoid people-pleasing behaviours and protect your energy.

Know when to take a step back and recharge

Have a plan for those times when something’s just draining all your energy. 

First things first, you need to work out what’s sapping your strength and take some proactive steps to stop it happening again.

Start by getting to grips with situations that tend to make you feel anxious or drained. 

Maybe there are certain people that you find really exhausting or certain things you do that leave you feeling totally depleted. 

Once you’ve identified these energy-zappers, it’s time to build a strategy for defending yourself. 

This might mean setting some limits on the amount of time and energy you’re willing to give to certain situations or taking breaks throughout the day to recharge your batteries!

Setting energetic boundaries is a skill that gets easier with practice

Establishing energetic boundaries is a lifelong journey that takes persistent effort. 

Maintaining your boundaries is not about cutting yourself off from others. It’s actually about safeguarding your sense of self and emotional well-being. 

So, take the first step today, set some energetic boundaries, and feel the positive change it brings to your life!