Understanding My Limits
Understanding Limits
Limits are boundaries that can be put in place to help protect your:
- Time
- Energy
- Compassion Supply
- Values
- Emotions
Setting limits allows you to remain the person that you envision yourself to be.
Additionally, it helps you prevent excessive stress, which can lead to burnout.
How Do I Know My Limits
Everyone’s limits are different, but reflecting on how your needs are being met will help you determine where limits need to be set. Additionally, consider your values for this time period in your life to determine if you are maintaining these goals.
All of us have physical, mental, and emotional needs that require attention. Below are listed aspects of physical, mental, and emotional health needs that need to be met.
- Physical:
- Activity/Exercise
- Nutrition
- Sleep
- Daily Rest/Relaxation
- Taking Medications as Prescribed
- Mental:
- Emotional Stability: able to manage your emotions and feel a sense of calm for the majority of your day.
- Positive Emotions: you experience positive emotions throughout your day including happiness, life satisfaction, contentment, and relaxation.
- Meaning and Purpose: you feel like your life is fulfilling your purpose and meaning, and you are accomplishing the goals that you have set out for yourself.
- Optimism: you are excited about what the future will bring and you are content with your current situation.
- Self-esteem: you feel positive about yourself and talk to yourself in a positive manner.
- Resilience: you are able to utilize healthy coping strategies to help you manage a difficult situation.
- Emotional:
- Autonomy: you have the ability to make your own choices.
- Connected: you are connected to meaningful individuals in your life.
- Belonging: you perceived that you fit in with a social/community group (e.g. family, friends, clubs, organizations).
- Community: you perceive that you have a network of individuals that are able to support you emotionally, physically, and mentally as you need them.
References:
Culham, B., (n.d.). The emotional needs scale. Human givens Institute. https://www.hgi.org.uk/resources/delve-our-extensive-library/resources-and-techniques/emotional-needs-scale
Rosenbaum, S., & Newby, J. (2020, May 27). What are characteristics of strong mental health?. University of New South Wales Newsroom. https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/health/what-are-characteristics-strong-mental-health#:~:text=meaning%20and%20purpose%3A%20feeling%20your,the%20stresses%20of%20daily%20life
Wilbanks, T. (n.d.). Sustainable caregiving: Boundaries. Sustainable Caregiving. https://www.sustainablecaregiving.com/sustainable-caregiving-boundaries/#:~:text=Boundaries%20prevent%20burnout,and%20how%20we%20spend%20it.
