In the previous blog post I wrote about why are boundaries with people so important and showed you how they affect your mental health and overall wellbeing.
As promised, today I will share some tips how to set healthy boundaries with others.
There are a few key steps you should take:
1. How your needs look like?
You cannot set healthy boundaries with people that surround you without this step.
It will require introspection and understanding what makes you feel comfortable in relationships, and what not.
You can come with an example of a relationship that brings out the best in you. What does that relationship have that others don’t? How it makes you feel?
You probably feel free to be yourself and you feel safe with that person.
2. Communication related to boundaries should look this way.
It has to be completely clear and assertive. Communicate about what you want, without feeling guilty. If people get upset when you try to set healthy boundaries, those are not your people but those with whom you obviously need strict boundaries or even go no contact.
3. Staying consistent.
Don’t allow people to cross your boundaries, not even once. If you allow that, soon you’ll find yourself in a vicious circle – yes, they will try to cross those boundaries once again.
The point is to become serious about protecting your mental health and peace.
4. Saying no is not that hard, you maybe just need to practice a bit.
If you were one of those persons that experiences burnout every now and then because you don’t know how to say, it’s a big alarm.
Saying “no” doesn’t mean you are being selfish; it simply means you are protecting your time, energy, and well-being and managing your life and time in a way you want.
It’s your life, there’s nothing wrong about that. With time, you will realize how greatly your life has improved once you pointed your attention to those things that make you feel good and grow as a person.
5. Don’t forget that others have their own boundaries as well.
For achieving healthy relationships and ensuring mutual respect, this is a must.
