--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are allowed to draw lines even if…" description: "\"You are allowed to draw lines even if your feelings are irrational. Part of the marvelous business of being an adult human is that you get to set your ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/mallory-ortberg-7200_adults_you-are-allowed-to-draw-lines-even-if-yo_1532474.jpg" --- # You are allowed to draw lines even if your feelings are… ![“You are allowed to draw lines even if your feelings are irrational. Part of the marvelous business of being an adult human is that you get to set your own boundaries for whatever reasons you like, without appending a sensible rationale to them.” quote by Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/mallory-ortberg-7200_adults_you-are-allowed-to-draw-lines-even-if-yo_1532474.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/mallory-ortberg-7200_adults_you-are-allowed-to-draw-lines-even-if-yo_1532474.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/mallory-ortberg-7200_adults_you-are-allowed-to-draw-lines-even-if-yo_1532474.jpg) > “You are allowed to draw lines even if your feelings are irrational. Part of the marvelous business of being an adult human is that you get to set your own boundaries for whatever reasons you like, without appending a sensible rationale to them.” [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adults can set personal limits based on feelings rather than rational justification, emphasizing autonomy over logical consistency. **In simple terms:** Set boundaries because you feel they’re right, not because you can explain them. Key Takeaway Trust your intuition when defining personal limits. Themes autonomy boundaries emotion adulting self‑care Mood reflective assertive Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - relationship counseling - personal planning - creative projects - parenting Key Concepts psychology of self‑regulation philosophy of freedom emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How do you communicate irrational boundaries? - When is a feeling‑based limit harmful? A Different Perspective May cause conflict if others expect rational explanations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries/) [Boundaries Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries-reasons-4423298/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Feelings Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings-irrational-5688952/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Lines Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines-feelings-5688951/) [Marvelous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marvelous/) [Rationale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationale/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Set Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-boundaries/) ## Related quotes > [There are reasons to set boundaries for yourself, but there are also reasons to keep doors open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/there-are-reasons-to-set-boundaries-for-yourself-but-there-are-also/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [“Burnout is real. If you want success without the hustle and grind, plan for breaks and set boundaries for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felecia-etienne/burnout-is-real-if-you-want-success-without-the-hustle-and-grind-plan/) [Felecia Etienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felecia-etienne/) > [I was really strict about my daughter sleeping in her own room, and now she's really independent and likes it that way. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/i-was-really-strict-about-my-daughter-sleeping-in-her-own-room-and/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/daring-to-set-boundaries-is-about-having-the-courage-to-love/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [You don't owe anybody the present other than yourself. Take time for you. Respect yourself and your privacy. Set boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/you-don-t-owe-anybody-the-present-other-than-yourself-take-time-for/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [“The kingdom of God is not a geographic domain with set boundaries and settled decrees, but a set of relationships in which Christ is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-kingdom-of-god-is-not-a-geographic-domain-with-set-boundaries-and/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [I guess if you are making more money than your mom and dad, you can set your own boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-vega/i-guess-if-you-are-making-more-money-than-your-mom-and-dad-you-can/) [Alexa Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-vega/) > [A lot of people say I can't do it because I'm blind, or I have red hair, or my feet are too big. 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When people believe they have to be nice in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/being-a-nice-person-is-about-courtesy-you-re-friendly-polite/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [“You are still a good mom if you -forget to click a selfie with your kid -set boundaries with your little monsters -are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeksha-arora/you-are-still-a-good-mom-if-you-forget-to-click-a-selfie-with-your/) [Deeksha Arora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeksha-arora/) > [Do we really have the right to take care of ourselves? Do we really have the right to set boundaries? Do we really have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/do-we-really-have-the-right-to-take-care-of-ourselves-do-we-really/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [I've learned to set boundaries for myself. It's been a slow process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/i-ve-learned-to-set-boundaries-for-myself-it-s-been-a-slow-process/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) ## More by Mallory Ortberg > [Not wanting to give everyone in your life one of your kidneys is not the same thing as hoping they die of kidney failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/not-wanting-to-give-everyone-in-your-life-one-of-your-kidneys-is-not/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [I agree that biphobia is real, but I think it's absolutely worth considering that someone who "despises" having sex with her husband - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/i-agree-that-biphobia-is-real-but-i-think-it-s-absolutely-worth/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) > [If you get a dog, take care of your dog! 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There's so many paintings that when I look at them, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-ortberg/i-love-the-art-history-ones-because-it-s-so-little-work-for-me-there/) [Mallory Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) [Explore all 93 Mallory Ortberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallory-ortberg/) ## More Adults quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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