Use this practice when you want a reset, at the start of a new season or year, or anytime you feel tense, overextended, or dissatisfied.
- Grab your journal.
- Turn to a fresh page and divide it into Internal and External life structures or boundaries.
- Set a ten-minute timer. Work through the list below; jot short answers. Use one or two weeks as your time frame.
Internal Boundaries:
- When I am tired, do I slow down or force through?
- When I am upset, do I acknowledge it or override it?
- When I have energy, do I follow through on promises I made to myself?
- When someone else is having a moment, do I absorb their emotions?
External boundaries:
- How often am I checking and responding to messages?
- How many commitments are on my calendar?
- Does my workday have a clear start time and end time?
- How many blocks of rest and/or self-care have I scheduled?
Review
What needs to change? Use what you notice to make at least one concrete adjustment.
These questions are not meant to make you feel bad. Practice radical honesty, self-observation without judgement, and take small actions.