How to set healthy personal boundaries without guilt!
Setting Personal Boundaries is so important for our mental health and surprisingly our physical health too!
A few years ago I was in a toxic environment at work. I had a boss that really didn’t have proper boundaries when it came to time management and work efficiency. Every day I would walk into work I would feel stressed out. I ended up working longer hours because I was being micromanaged while this boss was there
Ultimately I quit that job, but it taught me a great lesson – to recognize the importance of setting healthy personal boundaries.
But what are personal boundaries? According to Wikipedia they are clear limits, guidelines and set of rules we explicitly create to identify reasonable, safe, and permissible ways for other people to behave towards us and how we may respond if someone passes those limits.
Who else wishes we had been taught healthy boundaries as part of the rules of the game of life?! (Insert lady with a raised hand here)
Here I want to share with you 3 strategies to help you start creating healthy boundaries
Let’s dive in
Tool # 1 – Create Awareness
If it wasn’t for that experience with the toxic boss, I would have not realized what was not acceptable behavior for me at work. Now I understand exactly what kind of relationships I want to have, what is acceptable for me and what isn’t.
To help you get started on creating awareness, ask yourself: how does this relationship make me feel (be it personal, professional, and/or emotional).
If you feel certain behaviors make you uncomfortable and simply don’t feel good then it is an indication that you need to identify what is it exactly that is bothering you and create awareness this way.
Tool # 2 – Communication
Communication is key when setting healthy personal boundaries without guilt!
Once we create awareness on what rules, behaviors and limits are healthy for us we need to communicate them clearly and respectfully with those around us. This way everyone is aware of these rules of engagements with you.
Tool # 3 – Practice, Practice, Practice
That’s right, without practicing setting personal boundaries, we end up defaulting to old behaviors and patterns that are not healthy for us. We need to practice tools 1 & 2 constantly and consistently so we can move forward and create those fulfilling relationships we deserve.
How we relate to others and how they treat us have a significant impact on our health and we really are learning daily that health is wealth!
Do you want to take this lesson a step further, then I invite you to join my Release Your Wellness Blocks Workshop. Here you are going to learn the 4 most common blocks that are interfering with your well-being and give you the tools and strategies to overcome them. Join here.
Until next time!
Xoxo,
Lennis
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