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Imagine for a moment that you have built a fence around yourself to protect your feelings and sense of sanity. This fence is sturdy and represents strong boundaries. This fence is meant to keep people from hurting you, but unfortunately, many people seem to believe that implementing strong boundaries, personal outward-facing stop signs, means that they’re being rude. This could not be further from the truth.
What are Boundaries?
Boundaries, especially strong ones, represent the line that cannot be crossed by other people without consequences. Depending on circumstances, these consequences might include leaving the immediate vicinity, standing up for yourself without backing down, putting someone on an “information diet,” or informing the boundary-crosser that they have overstepped and you are going to take some time to yourself because of it. This list is by no means exhaustive.
Living without boundaries can be an acute source of stress. It was for me. Click To Tweet