Boundaries, whether personal or relational, are ways to create emotional health. Setting boundaries is crucial for increasing your self-esteem, reducing stress, and relieving anxiety. Creating healthy boundaries is a process of determining what behavior you will accept from others and the behaviors you won't.
Self-awareness is the process of understanding yourself fully and in-depth. Through your self-awareness, you build self-respect. It’s about understanding your triggers so that you can create a life that acknowledges and moves through those emotions and feelings in the healthiest way possible. When you are creating healthy boundaries, you have to be able to see yourself clearly and objectively.
There is a very important distinction to make between healthy and unhealthy boundaries. Most of us have been surrounded by the thoughts, ideas, and opinions of others through the better part of our lives. So, it’s important to recognize this, and make sure that you are only listening to your voice… Your intuition. Unhealthy boundaries are made when your own feelings are disempowered and your identity is weak… Which can happen for so many reasons.
Unhealthy boundaries are those that are made to please others. They come in the form of scarcity and fear. They are ruled by wanting to stay safe in the bubble you’ve created, and not make anyone upset. Our lessons about boundaries begin early in our lives. I mean… I’m sure we all remember being that girl that would do just about ANYTHING for the attention of THAT boy in high school. And it goes so much deeper than that. Creating healthy boundaries has been a lacking point in what we were taught as we were growing up (but who’s realllllly all grow’ed up anyway?!).
Creating healthy boundaries is a topic that comes up often in the relational world. It’s about self-awareness and self-respect, as I mentioned before. It’s about tuning into your feelings, protecting your emotional space, and not being afraid of TAKING UP space.
Healthy boundaries are there to enhance your relationships with others, and most importantly, with yourSELF. It’s all about growth and vulnerability. They are your own invisible force field that you are in charge of protecting.
Boundaries are shaped by our culture, life experiences, family dynamics, heritage, and SO much more. We are influenced from a young age about who and what to be. But sometimes what worked for us when we were kids, doesn’t work for us now. And for some of you, the idea of creating healthy boundaries is a new one. Or one that hasn’t been touched upon very much throughout your life.
Creating healthy boundaries starts with the simple notion that you have the right to set (and change) your boundaries. YOU get to decide what’s right for you. That’s why introspection and really tuning into yourself is vital.
This is YOUR life. And creating healthy boundaries is a necessary part of it. It’s about learning who and what to let into your space. Good boundaries are a sign of emotional health, strength, and self-respect.
It is necessary, and even vital, to set standards for your life and the people you allow in it. – Mandy Hale
I am a believer that meditation is an important part of getting to know and understand yourself, and creating healthy boundaries. So, follow the link below to pre-order my new book and you'll get access to our 21-Day Meditation Series for free. <3
