https://positivepsychology.com/great-self-care-setting-healthy-boundaries/#boundaries
The tips for keeping healthy boundaries in friendships include some points mentioned above, especially understanding your personal limits in terms of time and emotional investment.
These can also change as life events occur that entail a shift in priorities. For example, the time and energy you invest in friendships may change after starting a family. Your children become a priority and friendships may become less important until your children become more independent.
Three requirements for healthy friendships:
- Positivity
- Consistency
- Vulnerability
Setting boundaries and maintaining them with friends requires mutual trust and respect. Refer to our seven types of boundaries diagram above to consider your boundaries in friendships. Seven types of boundaries: Mental, Emotional, Material, Internal, Conversational, Physical, Time
Boundary setting with friends who have crossed or violated them can be difficult, and you may experience pushback. If so, reassert the boundary again and be prepared to take a break from them by ignoring messages and calls for a while if the pushback continues.
Dr. Nicole LePera is a clinical psychologist trained at Cornell University in the US who has her own YouTube channel called the Holistic Psychologist. She has identified as essential for healthy friendships:
- Conversational
- Consumption
- Energetic