How to Set Healthy Boundaries.

“Your personal boundaries protect the inner core of your identity and your right to choices.”                                                                                                                                                     – Gerard Manley Hopkins Personal boundaries are the limits we set for ourselves as individuals in relationships. Setting and enforcing boundaries is a skill that many of us don’t have. Having boundaries means honoring ourselves as a separate individual with needs and wants that often differ from others. Without healthy boundaries, we end up allowing others to override our own feelings and desires.  While setting boundaries are can be tough, they are really important for maintaining healthy relationships. Boundaries are essential in all relationships – with our spouse, parents, children, friends, boss, and so on. Without boundaries, we may feel suffocated, unable to express our true feelings and needs. Boundaries protect us from being mistreated or taken advantage of because they communicate our needs and expectations. Boundaries are good for everyone. Sometimes, boundaries are met with anger or resistance (hence our reluctance to set them). But it’s not wrong or mean to set boundaries. Boundaries aren’t meant to punish or control other people. We set boundaries for our own wellbeing, but they aren’t just good for us – they’re good for everyone involved as boundaries actually make relationships easier. This episode delves into the why and how to set healthy boundaries with the people in our lives where necessary.