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This is a quiet corner of the internet — a space for stories, reflections, and reminders that you don’t have to be perfect to be deeply loved. At The Rusted Sparrow, we embrace grace over hustle, rest over performance, and beauty in the rust. Whether you're weary, wondering, or simply looking for a softer place to land, you're welcome here.

Guarding Your Peace: The Power of Boundaries

  • Writer: Brianne Thomas
    Brianne Thomas
  • Aug 25
  • 2 min read

I’ll never forget the week I realized I was running on empty. I’d said “yes” to extra meetings, replied to every late-night text, carved out time for every favor—and by Friday, I felt like a worn-out marathoner trying to sprint. My cup was bone dry, and somehow I still expected myself to refill it for everyone else.


Here’s the truth, friend: you can’t pour from an empty cup, no matter how much you love your people.

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When “Yes” Becomes the Enemy of “Enough”

We’ve been taught that hustle equals worth, and boundaries feel like selfish walls. So we stretch ourselves thin—juggling work deadlines, family needs, volunteer commitments, and a constant stream of pings and dings. Before we know it, our own priorities vanish under a pile of should-dos, and we’re left wondering why we feel so exhausted and unaccomplished.


Boundaries Protect Your Peace, Not Your Pride

Setting limits isn’t turning into a grinch; it’s self-respect. It’s choosing quality over frantic quantity, depth over distraction, rest over rage. When you guard your calendar and your heart:

  • You reclaim margin. An evening off phone notifications. A weekend with zero scheduled plans.

  • You honor your calling. Saying “no” to what distracts you lets you say “yes” to what truly matters.

  • You preserve your joy. You rediscover why you started in the first place—whether that’s art, ministry, family time, or simply peace.


Boundaries aren’t a wall that shuts people out—they’re guardrails that keep you on a path of purpose and freedom.


How to Set Grace-Filled Boundaries

  1. Get crystal clear. Jot down what drains you: late emails, extra obligations, social media scroll traps.

  2. Name your “no.” You don’t need a novel—just a firm, kind line.

    “I appreciate you thinking of me. I can’t take that on right now.”

  3. Roost before you collapse. Block moments in your calendar for rest: an unplugged hour before bed, one afternoon off per week, a daily five-minute pause to breathe.

  4. Bring in your co-pilots. Tell a friend or spouse about your limits. Ask them to remind you when you stray.

  5. Celebrate your courage. Each time you protect your time, you’re choosing grace over guilt.


You Deserve Your Own Runway

Here’s your permission slip:

Clutch your priorities. Fold your wings when you need to. Protect your rest as fiercely as you protect your work.


Boundaries give you the runway to take off—stronger, steadier, and full of purpose. So pick one boundary this week, lock it in, and watch how quickly grace fills the space you’ve created.


— Brianne

 
 
 

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