A Guide to Healthy Boundaries

"Last year, after saying yes to far too many things, I found myself utterly drained by the second week of December. I was running on autopilot, hopping from gatherings to errands to family commitments with a smile that felt more like a mask. One morning, while scrolling through my calendar, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. My body was telling me what my mind had been ignoring: I needed rest."

"The first time I declined an invitation, I felt like I was letting them down. The second time, my heart still raced, but I felt a little less disappointed in myself. The truth is, those evenings I kept free gave me much-needed rest, which made me far better equipped to handle everything else. And there is science to support this. Research shows that consistently ignoring your own needs for rest increases stress hormones like cortisol, harms your immune system, and leads to emotional burnout."

Holidays combine anticipation with pressure, creating obligations that strain physical and emotional resources. Overcommitting leads to exhaustion, autopilot behavior, and loss of presence. Establishing healthy boundaries — declining some invitations, setting limits on vulnerable conversation topics, and scheduling small moments of rest — preserves energy and reduces stress. Saying no provides restorative downtime that improves capacity for other commitments. Research indicates that chronic lack of rest elevates cortisol, weakens immune function, and increases risk of emotional burnout. Clear conversational boundaries protect emotional wellbeing, while brief pauses and rest foster presence and appreciation of what matters.

Read at Psychology Today