Boundaries aren’t walls — they are the doors to your peace.
Dear Survivor,
After surviving an abusive relationship, setting boundaries can feel almost impossible. You may fear being called selfish. You may worry that saying no means you are “just as bad” as your abuser. You may wonder if you even have the right to protect yourself at all.
You have every right to protect your peace.
Boundaries are not punishments — they are acts of self-love. In relationships marked by narcissistic abuse, boundaries were often violated again and again, leaving you feeling powerless. Rebuilding those boundaries is not cruelty. It is survival. It is healing. It is reclaiming your power.
Every “no” you say is a “yes” to yourself.
Guilt often surfaces when you start to draw lines. It’s the echo of manipulation that once taught you love meant sacrifice. But healthy love honors your needs and your humanity. When you say, “This is what I need,” you are not being unkind — you are being brave.
Bravery looks like self-respect in action.
Healthy boundaries can include simple but powerful steps: limiting conversations with toxic individuals, refusing to justify your feelings, protecting your time, and trusting your own yes and no. You don’t have to defend your limits to anyone who refuses to honor them.
Your healing is not up for debate.
If you need help building your boundaries back after emotional abuse, resources like The Recovery Roadmap can guide you. Healing isn’t about becoming harder — it’s about becoming whole. Your needs are sacred. Your limits are sacred. And you are sacred.
You are allowed to choose yourself.
Today, I invite you to name one boundary you are ready to honor.
It doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be announced.
It simply has to be real — a quiet promise to yourself that you deserve safety, space, and respect.
Your boundaries are a love letter to your future.
Blessings and healing,
Catrina
#survivor #healingjourney #narcissisticabuse #abusiverelationship #settingboundaries #emotionalhealing #overcomingabuse