Setting Boundaries is a form of self-care
Setting boundaries is a form of self-care. That is a hill I will rest on. Boundaries can be personal, financial, professional, or sexual. As a former serial people pleaser, setting boundaries wasn’t easy for me. I learned during that season that setting boundaries was not “being mean.” Boundaries taught people how to treat me and honor my existence in their lives. I also experienced deterioration in lifelong friendships. That took some adjusting to because I cherished fellowship with my close friends.
Setting boundaries is like taking my power back. If you have not subscribed to the Happy. newsletter, I encourage you to. This month’s newsletter includes a “Setting Boundaries” workbook which is designed to do the following:
- Discover what your values and priorities are
- Discover the areas in your life where boundaries are needed
- Learn how to set boundaries
- Effectively communicate your boundaries
While preparing for this month’s content I found this quote: “The only people who get upset about boundaries, are the ones who benefited by you not having any.” The last part is what stood out the most. I want to encourage you to let 2024 be the year you begin to set boundaries.
Try using these boundary-setting techniques:
- Self-awareness:
- Understand your values, needs, and limits.
- Reflect on past experiences to identify patterns where boundaries were crossed.
- Learn to say “no”:
- Realize that saying “no” is a valid response and doesn’t require justification.
- Prioritize your commitments and don’t overextend yourself.
- Practice self-compassion:
- Understand that setting boundaries is a healthy and necessary aspect of self-care.
- Avoid self-blame or guilt when asserting your needs.
Let me know if you have started setting some boundaries. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok at findingmyhappy.jm. Don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter as well for mental wellness-centered content.