"All healthy relationships you see around depend on healthy boundaries. Not even love, family bonds, or money can keep a relationship alive if boundaries are overstepped with impunity.”
How do the words above resonate with you?
Pause here and free yourself from distractions:
Take a deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... deep breath in... exhale slowly... calm your mind and be present...
How respectful are you of other people’s boundaries? Think about that for a moment...
It’s not always easy to do. Especially when we see someone hurting. It often comes from a good place. We want to help.
Sometimes it’s ego. We think we know better. We assume to know more about what someone else going through or needs.
Reading Iyanla Vanzant this morning was a reminder to all of the importance of resisting the impulse to overstep. Vanzant's words:
Do your very best not to push a wounded person beyond where they are willing to go.
Honor their boundaries.
Honor their choices.
It is important to realize that your only responsibility is to trust that when they are ready to be healed, they will be healed.
“Be aware that every living being has the capacity to do what they need to do,
when they are ready to do it.” -Iyanla Vanzant
How To Respect The Boundaries Of Others: 4 Highly Effective Tips
1. Clearly communicate and ask questions: Clear communication is essential for understanding where the other person’s boundaries are.
Pay attention to how they respond to you in conversation and their body language. If you’re unsure, ask questions. Give them the option of stating their boundary.
2. Accept what the other person is communicating: Accepting what the other person is communicating as valid can be difficult. The boundary may not make sense to you, it may even sound silly, but it’s still their boundary and it should be respected.
3. Respect the autonomy of other people: Sometimes people overstep boundaries because they think they know better. They may have a genuine desire to protect and help, but they may step on the other person’s boundaries to do that. The problem with this approach, other than violating personal boundaries, is that it keeps the person from developing useful skills and experience that they will need.
4. Continue to work on yourself: The ability to respect the boundaries of others comes from a place of personal security and integrity. You can’t control what others will and won’t do. By respecting others’ boundaries, you will demonstrate to them that you are a trustworthy and respectful person. That will open doors to building stronger relationships.
“A lack of boundaries invites lack of respect.” -Anonymous
What are you willing to do?
Don’t miss your opportunity. Be intentional. Encourage others to do the same and watch what happens.
You got this!
Coach Tavia
#trustyourself, #learnandgrow, #bepositive, #selfawareness, #respectyourselfandothers, #responsibility, #believe, #maximizeyourpotential, #honoryourself, #shareyourgifts, #seizeopportunity, #live, #becreative, #thinkforyourself, #reflect, #reach, #stretch, #bepresent, #accountability, #faith, #confidence, #ittakescourage, #dothework, #beofservice, #knowyourworth, #leadbyexample, #justdoit, #lifecoach, #leadershipcoach, #leadershipdevelopment, #letsgo
References:
How To Respect The Boundaries Of Others: 4 Highly Effective Tips
Vanzant, Iyanla; Until Today: Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind. Atria, New York, NY 2020.
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