RECORDING: Drawing Boundaries with Compassion and Expansiveness

A Threshold recording about living in the in-between spaces

Julia Rymut

and

Emily Conway

Jul 30, 2025

Transcript

What are your boundaries? How have you learned to draw them? What happens when they shift?

In this episode Emily Conway and I will share our boundary stories and invite you to share yours as we think about what it means to live within spacious limits.

Some of the other insights from our talk:

[00:03:00] “I Grew Up Without Boundaries”
Emily shares her upbringing in a boundary-less family system, and how her sense of self was shaped by keeping others happy.
[00:05:00] “The Relief of Having a Self”
She reflects on the lifelong process of learning to say no, discovering that boundaries can bring relief and clarity—not just pain.
[00:07:00] “The Garden as a Boundary Metaphor”
Through stories of gardening, Emily explores how boundaries require intention and discernment—what to pull, what to leave, what to support.
[00:09:00] “Hard and Soft Boundaries”
Julia invites reflection on the difference between rigid edges and dynamic containers. Can boundaries be strong without being harsh?
[00:11:00] “Relational Boundaries and the Role of Awareness”
Emily discusses how different relationships call for different types of boundaries, depending on how liminal or concrete the other person is.
[00:17:30] “When Soft Boundaries Look Like No Boundaries”
Julia and Emily reflect on the challenge of being misunderstood when working with fluid, flexible boundaries in a black-and-white world.
[00:21:30] “Compassion Without Losing Yourself”
The conversation lands on self-compassion as a foundation for healthy boundaries. True compassion includes care for the self, not just the other.