What a great question, thanks for posting it!

From a sub or bottom point of view I think that pushing limits and intensity is just part of a healthy attitude toward BDSM. Being willing, if not eager, to push limits enables a sub to embark on a BDSM journey of exploration, in which the sub's desire for session activities continues to evolve over time.

My original hard limits list was nearly all encompassing! LOL. There was more on the hard limits list than there was off of it. No watersports, no anal play, no marks, no sounds, and absolutely never, ever, ever would I engage in needle play piercing!

Well, all of those limits are long gone thanks to the patience and creativity of some amazing Dommes who saved me from my own timidity.

Watersport limit disappeared in a stream all over my chest from a Domme who convinced me that I had earned the privilege of receiving it. Because I had "earned" it I felt it was ok to endure it.

The anal play limit disappeared when a Domme had me such the cock on her strap on, gagging me with it while telling me how good it would feel in my ass. How right she was!

The no marks limit evaporated during a heavy NT session when a Domme told me if I wanted heavier NT play I would have to beg for it and accept whatever she decided to use to up the intensity. I instantly agreed (thinking with the little head). She then very expertly used a short whip on my clamped nipples. Yep, had some bruises for several days afterwards, but they were worth the price!

The sounds hard limit was put to rest during a very intense T&D session. My cock had been at attention for some time and of course without the prospect of any relief when the Domme said she wanted to see how well I cold handle having my cock fucked. Well, when she put it like that, what could I say ? I found out pretty quick I could handle having my cock fucked as she worked her way through a collection of different sized sounds.

Being an absolute NT slut, my hard limit against play piercing collapsed like a house of cards while tightly bound to a bondage bed, hooded, and gagged. The NT play got intense and she took the gag out long enough to tell me that it would make her very happy if she could play pierce my nipples and that she had no doubt that I was more than ready to take that step. Knowing she wanted me to do it, that it would make her happy, and her telling me that I was ready made me eager to give it a try.

I still have some limits of course. Every sane sub does. But they are primarily more emotional limits as well as some limits on more extreme types of corporal play that would result in the risk of heavy bleeding or long term marks. Of course, I have the standard common sense limits regarding unsafe play of any type.

I have learned to play from an attitude of "YES!", something that I learned from the amazing MTO. No longer timid, I simply buckle up and enjoy the ride!