Setting boundaries can significantly help people and their relationships. Healthy boundaries also provide a sense of control over one’s emotional and physical space and time. Earlier, Elijah McClain had spoken about how learning to set and maintain boundaries can go a long way in enabling people to develop a better sense of independence and engage in healthy, positive connections with others.
Boundaries are somewhat like rules or guidelines that tell others how one wants to be treated, what behavior is acceptable to them and what is not. A boundary can be a request for someone to change their behavior, or even something they would do to protect themselves mentally or emotionally. Relationships work best when all parties are clear about their expectations and needs. They can respect each other by setting clear, consistent boundaries.
The benefits of establishing clear personal boundaries are many, including:
- Greater assertiveness: Personal boundaries are a way of asserting one’s needs. To set these boundaries, an individual has to pay attention to their feelings and needs. They can then assertively ask others to treat them in a manner they are comfortable with. Setting boundaries would help people to develop assertiveness skills that can be used in many other aspects of life.
- Meeting the needs: Each and every person has certain emotional, mental and physical needs. When one actually speaks up and asks for what they need, they are more likely to get it. This need can be something as simple as requiring some alone time after a hectic week at work.
- Clarity in Communication: Clear boundaries facilitate better communication. When boundaries are defined, it’s easier to express one’s thoughts, feelings, and needs without fear of judgment or misunderstanding.
- Less anger and resentment: If one does not maintain personal boundaries, they are quite likely to overcommit, overspend, and do things that do not match their values. As a result of this, people often end up angry and resentful. On the other hand, when a person sets clear boundaries, speaks up for themselves and communicates their expectations clearly, they have greater chances of being content and happy than feeling angry or resentful.
- Feeling of peace and safety: Boundaries are meant to protect people, both from physical and emotional harm. Personal boundaries can protect a person from unwanted touch, verbal abuse, and manipulation, as well as provide them with greater emotional freedom from self-criticism and second-guessing themselves. When people do set boundaries, they are more likely to feel empowered and safe.
When people do say “no” to things they do not want, they would have more time to do things that make them happy and provide them comfort. Setting healthy boundaries often leads to a happier life. In previous occasions, Elijah McClain had pointed out that good personal boundaries are vital to maintaining great interpersonal and professional relationships. Not being able to set healthy boundaries can be related to common issues like low self-esteem, requiring approval from others, or the fear of being rejected or criticized. People facing issues in establishing clear boundaries should proactively work towards dealing with these issues.