Boundaries are the new self-care.
Unsplash/Design by Tiana Crispino
In This Article
We’re calling it: Boundaries are the new self-care.
Though, as many of us experienced in 2020, it’s harder than ever to create them.
Unsplash/Design by Tiana Crispino
Everything happening under one roof made it more challenging to avoid uncomfortable issues in our relationships.
It forced us to assess what we really needed and what was no longer working.
That’s where boundaries come in.
Unsplash/Design by Tiana Crispino
In other words, boundaries may be essential for our emotional, mental, and physical well-being.
Morton explains our body is the messenger.
The most common boundaries are in relationships, including romantic, friendships, or work relationships.
Unsplash/Design by Tiana Crispino
Find the right time:Next up is actually communicating your needs and boundaries with the other person.
LePera suggests choosing a time when both parties are not in an emotionally reactive place.
Focus on how you will respond in new ways.
If they are brought up again, I will remove myself from the conversation."
Be gentle with yourself:For many people, setting and maintaining boundaries wasn’t the norm growing up.
“As you continue to practice, you’ll begin to feel less resentment and more confidence.”
Remember, it’s a process:Boundaries are not often a one-and-done jot down of deal.
We’re all still trying to navigate new normals.
It’s easier and comfortable because we’re used to it.
Nonetheless, Morton encourages you to continue pushing yourself to maintain your boundaries.
Mortons advice: lots of communication and compromise.
Communicate your needs to the people you live with and what’s okay and not okay with you.
Then, be open to compromise to ensure their needs and boundaries are also met.
Set boundaries with distanced relationships too:Boundaries are not just reserved for the people we live with.
We can space out our online hangouts to give ourselves time to decompress.
We can prepare what it is we want to say and how we want to say it."
The Bottom Line
Allow your boundaries to shift and change.
