Establishing Healthy Boundaries

Healthy boundaries are something I think we learn to take more control over with age. In my experience, as I grew older and more sure of myself, I had a much better overall experience when setting boundaries. I always want to be polite and make other people feel happy so it can be challenging at times when I am trying to delicately put boundaries in place! However, with some useful advice and a good amount of confidence, I have been much more successful in setting boundaries.

I wanted to share some advice I have heard from a few incredible people who have motivated and helped me when learning to advocate boundaries for myself!

• Use “I” statements

• This is probably the most important and number one tip when it comes to setting boundaries. That is because it sets the tone of confidence and allows people to take you more seriously.

• Set a Clear Tone for Others

• Be clear and communicate your expectations, wants and needs upfront and stick to them. Consistently showing what you desire and making your requirements clear is a crucial part of setting boundaries.

• Don’t Ever be Afraid to Say No

• Telling someone “no” can be one of the most challenging things to deal with. Own your opinion and put yourself first. Those who care about you and value their relationship with you will understand why you said no and will not take it to heart.

• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

• It can be easy to assume people will think/feel the same way you do about topics or that they will understand why you made a specific decision. However, that is often not the case. When communication is strong, it leaves little room for error or misunderstanding.

I hope you can find these suggestions useful and I look forward to hearing about which strategies you try on your own!