Where do you even start when it comes to boundaries?

Being at home all day might be a great thing for many people. But if you are staying with family or bunking with friends or even strangers, setting up your own space proves quite difficult. And if not that, setting your own boundaries might be as fruitless.

Despite this, boundaries are important. They are not a tool to push others away, but rather protect. Boundaries can even be supportive to your dreams.

So to make boundaries work in 2021, and to decipher the negatives from positives regarding your boundaries, let’s talk about what you say no to and what you say yes to.

In the Where do you even start when it comes to boundaries?! episode of People, Talking People, Jennifer focuses on what she says yes and no to. Ask yourself: what am I saying yes/no to and what is its impact on myself? If you can find out what situations allow you to respond in certain ways, then you will be able to recognize when it happens and assert necessary boundaries.

In the same light, Randalyn focuses on deciphering if boundaries are for personal protection or are used as a means to push others away. But are your boundaries really meant for other people? Let’s focus on the impact your boundaries should have on your own health. If you are afraid to offend someone through denial, don’t be. It’s about you and if you feel comfortable about whatever someone is asking you for.

Speaking of denial, saying “no” is a very important skill and crucial in understanding boundaries. And be assertive when saying no. Randalyn puts it like this: physically say “no”. If you don’t physically say the word “no,” then it allows for others to keep trespassing on your boundaries. It can also damage your own health if you retain your passive voice. Learning how to say know keeps your health safe and lets others know what they shouldn’t do around you.

If you want to learn more about how you can set healthy boundaries for yourself, check out the two-parter Where do you even start when it comes to boundaries?! and How to say no; boundaries part 2 of People, Talking People.

Make sure you treat yourself well in 2021 people. One way to do that is setting some good and healthy boundaries.