50 Setting Boundaries Quotes to Respect Yourself

Draw a line in the sand with these powerful setting boundaries quotes.

Setting boundaries are a part of a healthy life.

An old saying suggests that no person is an island, meaning we all must connect with others and rely on or share with them in our lives.

Tell us which boundaries quote most resonated with you in the comment section below.

What are the benefits of reading these boundaries quotes?

The saying teaches us it is impossible to accomplish our goals alone.

We all need some help from someone, eventually.

Setting realistic and healthy boundaries is part of maintaining our connections with:

• family
• friends
• peers
• coworkers

Boundaries provide structure and meaning to our lives.

As the saying goes, you can’t draw blood from a stone.

If we have no energy for ourselves, we have no energy for others.

There is no free energy.

Boundaries do not limit our experience; instead, they provide a baseline for us to build relationships to maintain our well-being.

Short but powerful boundaries quotes

1. “You get what you tolerate.” — Henry Cloud

2. “No is a complete sentence.” — Anne Lamont

3. “Givers need to set limits because takers rarely do.” — Rachel Wolchin

4. “Set and enforce your personal boundaries.” — Jonathan Lockwood Huie

5. “Boundary setting is really a huge part of time management.” — Jim Loehr

6. “No one will listen to us until we listen to ourselves.” — Marianne Williamson

7. “Speak in your own voice about the things that matter to you.” — Marty Rubin

8. “You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.” — Unknown

9. “The boundary to what we can accept is the boundary to our freedom.” — Tara Brach

10. “Stop asking why they keep doing it and start asking why you keep allowing it.” — Unknown

Setting boundaries quotes in relationships

11. “Individuals set boundaries to feel safe, respected, and heard.” — Pamela Cummins

12. “You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” — Anna Taylor

13. “It is necessary, and even vital, to set standards for your life and the people you allow in it.” — Mandy Hale

14. “Setting emotional boundaries prevent people from manipulating you, using you, and playing with your feelings.” — Remez Sasson

15. “Every human being must have boundaries in order to have successful relationships or a successful performance in life.” — Henry Cloud

16. “When people set boundaries with you, it’s their attempt to continue the relationship with you. It’s not an attempt to hurt you.” — Elizabeth Earnshaw

17. “Setting boundaries in a relationship implies your attempt to continue the relationship in a healthy way. It’s not an attempt to hurt the other person.” — Shilpa

18. “Families living in dysfunction seldom have healthy boundaries. Dysfunctional families have trouble knowing where they stop and others begin.” — David W. Earle

19. “Do not justify, apologize for, or rationalize the healthy boundary you are setting. Do not argue. Just set the boundary calmly, firmly, clearly, and respectfully.” — Crystal Andrus

20. “Emotional self-defense… When you set healthier relationship standards in your life, some people will take it personally. That’s their issue, not yours. The distance isn’t against them; it’s for you. It’s a boundary, not a grudge.” — Steve Maraboli

Boundaries quotes about respect and self-love

21. “Love yourself enough to set boundaries.” — Anna Taylor

22. “I set boundaries not to offend you but to respect myself.” — Unknown

23. “Boundaries protect the things that are of value to you.” — Adelyn Birch

24. “The boundaries of your life are merely a creation of the self.” — Robin Sharma

25. “When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you’re not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” — Paulo Coelho

26. “Boundaries are a part of self-care. They are healthy, normal, and necessary.” — Doreen Virtue

27. “Boundary setting helps you prioritize your needs over other people’s wants.” — Lauren Kenson

28. “When someone oversteps your boundaries, they’re letting you know that what you want doesn’t matter.” — Phil Good

29. “Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others.” — Brene Brown

30. “Just as we expect others to value our boundaries, it’s equally important for us to respect the boundaries of others.” — Laurie Buchanan

Boundaries quotes to keep in mind while at work

31. “We need people who push boundaries rather than retreat inside them.” — Tim Fargo

32. “Each time you set a healthy boundary, you say ‘yes’ to more freedom.” — Nancy Levin

33. “Being able to say ‘No’ is a necessary ingredient in a healthy lifestyle.” — David W. Earle

34. “Your time and energy are precious, and you get to decide how you use them.” — Anna Taylor

35. “Your personal boundaries protect the inner core of your identity and your right to choices.” — Gerard Manley Hopkins

36. “When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated.” — Brene Brown

37. “People who violate your boundaries are thieves. They steal time that doesn’t belong to them.” — Elizabeth Grace Saunders

38. “Make good boundaries your goal. They are your right, your responsibility, your greatest source of dignity.” — Elaine N. Aron

39. “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything.” — Warren Buffett

40. “Setting boundaries is a way of caring for myself. It doesn’t make me mean, selfish, or uncaring (just) because I don’t do things your way. I care about me, too.” — Christine Morgan

More boundaries quotes to help you set some

41. “Boundaries are to protect life, not to limit pleasures.” — Edwin Louis Cole

42. “You best teach others about healthy boundaries by enforcing yours.” — Bryant McGill

43. “Walls keep everybody out. Boundaries teach them where the door is.” — Mark Groves

44. “Honoring your own boundaries is the clearest message to others to honor them, too.” — Gina Greenlee

45. “A boundary is not that at which something stops, but that from which something begins.” — Martin Heidegger

46. “A broken soul doesn’t invest in boundaries because the world has crossed them, without mercy.” — Shannon L. Alder

47. “If someone gets mad at you for creating a boundary, consider that a good sign that the boundary was necessary.” — Jenna Korf

48. “Healthy boundaries are not walls. They are gates and fences that allow you to enjoy the beauty of your own garden.” — Lydia Hall

49. “The only people who get upset about you setting boundaries are the ones who were benefiting from you having none.” — Unknown

50. “Personal boundaries, if you feel comfortable saying something about yourself and you say it, and someone doesn’t like it, that’s their problem. Don’t let who you are be up for debate.” — Jenna Ryan

Start setting boundaries today

A key to setting realistic and constructive boundaries is being honest.

Setting boundaries requires we are first honest with ourselves so we can effectively convey our truth to others.

A great way to set boundaries is to use direct and honest language about your limits and preferences.

It might take some mindfulness, but you can communicate your thoughts honestly and respectfully.

It is reasonable to take time to gather your thoughts before a conversation, but do not let that become an excuse to avoid sharing your feelings.

When we are honest and clear about our boundaries, people around us will understand us better and respect our limits.

They will adjust their behavior.

Sometimes this may require conversations that are not always comfortable or pleasant.

But remember that the people who do not respect our boundaries are not people we want in our lives.

Love yourself—set boundaries.

Tell us which quote resonated most with you in the comment section below.

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