Boundary setting is one topic that comes up frequently in our lives and in therapy. Boundary setting, for most people, is a learned skill. Some people seem to learn that skill earlier in life, while others learn it later in life. How would one know if they needed to work on setting stronger boundaries for themselves? Well, one place to start is to ask yourself if you feel:
1) Guilty or anxious for saying no to requests
2) Resentful or upset that you feel you’re often doing a lot for others
3) Taking less time than you’d prefer to take care of yourself and are more focused on taking care of others (there are certainly many life circumstances that can make this one particularly difficult, ex. parenting, caregiving, etc)
If you can relate to any of the above statements, it might be worth considering (or reconsidering) how to best set boundaries in your life. Boundary setting, for many people, is a lifelong journey and is a muscle that gets stronger over time. Want to learn about how to set boundaries, with specific skills? You can read more here. There’s also a Harvard Business Review article here to help guide you further. Want additional support? Give us a call, send us a text, or send us an email.
“The only people who get upset when you start setting boundaries are the ones who benefited from you not having them.”
Copyright © Melissa A. Frey, LCSW 2023. All rights reserved.