Love Them AND Keep Your Distance: Setting Boundaries episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 22, 2025 · 56 MIN

Love Them AND Keep Your Distance: Setting Boundaries

from It’s Both — Living in the Messy Middle · host Nikki P

What if loving someone doesn't mean letting them hurt you? This is a conversation about navigating the messy middle of loving difficult people—holding compassion for them AND boundaries for yourself. About the transition anxiety of staying connected to people who drain you and the major life changes in relationships when you realize love doesn't require access. For anyone who feels guilty for needing distance from someone they love. You'll hear about the both/and of loving someone AND protecting yourself from them, how to set boundaries without guilt or cruelty, and why emotional regulation matters when difficult people trigger you. This is about learning that love doesn't require access and holding mixed emotions (care AND limits, compassion AND self-protection). In this episode: - Boundaries with difficult people you love - The anxiety of saying no to family or friends - Mixed emotions: love and frustration, care and limits - How to stay connected without losing yourself - Emotional regulation when they trigger you - Navigating major life changes in relationships - Why distance isn't abandonment - Grief for the relationship you wish you had Because life isn't either/or—it's both. Get Connected & Support the Show: - Listen to the companion podcast: It's Both- Guided Meditations for Anxiety, Emotional Regulation, & Real Life Transitions - Subscribe, rate, & review It's Both on Apple Podcasts - Join the Courageous Living Group Transformation - Sign up for Hungryroot and get $50 off your first box - It's Both on Instagram & Youtube  

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 22, 2025

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Loving difficult people: boundaries, grace, and emotional complexity—tools for the messy middle of relationships without losing yourself.

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Love Them AND Keep Your Distance: Setting Boundaries

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This episode was published on July 22, 2025.

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