How to Set Boundaries Without Being Mean: Text Examples

"I love you and I know you're looking out for me. But I need to figure some of this stuff out on my own. It would mean a lot if you could trust me with my decisions."

"I care about our friendship a lot, but I need to be honest. When plans change last minute it puts me in a tough spot. Can we try to give each other more of a heads up?"

"I want to be responsive but I've been trying to protect my evenings for personal time. Could we save non-urgent things for work hours? I'll always get back to you first thing."

"I love that you have your crew over, and I want you to. But when it goes past midnight on weeknights, I struggle the next day. Could we set a loose end time?"

"I know you don't mean any harm, but comments about my appearance really affect me. I'd appreciate it if we could just skip that topic. It would make our time together a lot more enjoyable."

"I always want to be here for you, and I mean that. But I've been needing some support too and I haven't felt like I can bring my stuff up. Can we try to make space for both of us?"

"I want us to have a good living situation, and I think we just need to get on the same page about the common areas. Could we figure out a system that works for both of us?"