We have the individual responsibility to teach people how to treat us. Setting and sticking to your personal boundaries is a necessary skill to build meaningful, healthy relationships. But it’s also hard.
Many of us were taught that we should be nice at the expense of being clear.
Or we’ve gotten used to ignoring our feelings.
And worse yet, some of us don’t think our needs are a priority.
This is your friendly reminder: You have permission to define your limits around personal space, emotions, communication, possessions, time, and energy. I’m not saying it will be easy. And any act of self-love can be at least a little bit messy. But here are the steps:
1. Understand how you’re feeling and establish your personal boundaries.
2. Have the conversation, even if it’s awkward, as often as necessary. Consistency is the key for any long term change.
3. And remember, it’s okay to make yourself a priority. You are in charge of your choices. And that means sometimes you might have to walk away.
It might make you feel guilty. You might feel like you’re being a little selfish. But setting appropriate boundaries is an important step in the self-care process.
This post was inspired by reading this article.
