by Many people experience stress in relationships not because they are doing something wrong, but because they are carrying responsibilities that were never actually theirs to begin with.
The What’s Mine vs. What’s Not worksheet was created to help untangle that confusion.
This worksheet focuses on a common but often unspoken issue: emotional over-responsibility. When boundaries are unclear, people may feel obligated to manage others’ emotions, prevent disappointment, smooth over conflict, or keep the peace at the cost of their own well-being.
Instead of offering scripts or confrontation strategies, this worksheet helps people build clear internal boundaries—the kind that reduce guilt and stress even when external situations don’t immediately change.
What the worksheet is designed to do
This is a clinically grounded reflection worksheet that helps people:
- Identify what they are actually responsible for in difficult interactions
- Separate their behavior, values, and limits from other people’s emotions or reactions
- Notice patterns of over-explaining, apologizing, fixing, or self-silencing
- Practice internal boundaries that don’t require confrontation or permission
- Work with guilt in a compassionate, realistic way
The worksheet emphasizes accuracy rather than blame. It does not suggest withdrawing from relationships or dismissing others’ feelings. Instead, it supports a more balanced and sustainable way of relating.
What’s included in the worksheet
The What’s Mine vs. What’s Not worksheet includes:
- A clear explanation of how emotional responsibility becomes blurred
- A responsibility-sorting framework with examples and space for personalization
- Reflection sections that identify personal patterns and triggers
- Guidance on practicing internal boundaries
- A dedicated section on guilt, including compassionate self-talk
- A closing reflection focused on self-respect rather than self-erasure
The language is trauma-informed, non-judgmental, and designed to be useful in both therapy settings and individual reflection.
Who this worksheet is especially helpful for
This worksheet may be particularly useful for people who:
- Feel responsible for others’ emotions or reactions
- Struggle with people-pleasing or conflict avoidance
- Experience guilt when setting limits
- Have difficult family, workplace, or authority-figure dynamics
- Feel exhausted by relational expectations
It is appropriate for individual therapy, group work, or personal use.
Download the worksheet
The What’s Mine vs. What’s Not worksheet is available as a printable PDF. You can download it directly and use it on your own or bring it into therapy sessions for deeper discussion.
