Boundaries aren’t walls you build out of anger. They’re what you find once you actually know yourself.

A limit set in anger is usually a reaction to the last thing that happened, which is why it tends to be too big and then quietly abandoned. A limit that holds comes from knowing how you actually work: what drains you, what you cannot do well when tired, what you are not willing to give. That kind is calm because it is descriptive rather than defensive.

Work out one thing you consistently need and say it plainly before the next time it is tested. No justification, no heat. Stated early and without drama, it is far easier for everyone to respect.