What rings in your head when you hear the word boundary? Irrespective of what has popped in your mind, as you read this, remember that, no matter how kind an individual you believe you are, boundaries are essential in your life.
Boundaries are crucial for healthy relationships. They serve as a safeguard mechanisms in different contexts, such as professional, family, friendship, and business.
Psychologists classify boundaries into six categories: physical, emotional, time, intellectual, sexual, and material. We must learn learn to create boundaries in all these aspects of our lives.
It’s important to remember that boundaries are not synonymous with being mean or unkind, but rather a way to guard your heart and protect yourself. Without boundaries, it is easy to disregard your own value, time, needs, desires, limits and those of others too! This can lead to toxic relationships.
If you struggle to maintain boundaries, I encourage you to start now! You’re not mean because you have set boundaries! Even the word admonishes us that we should ‘guard our hearts with all diligence and that we should ‘ be wise as serpents but be gentle as a dove’. Now, those are boundaries!
Love and Blessings,
Adja
PS: I’d recommend Boundaries book series by 2 psychologists I respect – Drs Henry Cloud and John Townsend!
(Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life)
From My Heart-Media by Adja Amy 