Most of us, at some time or another, have been coaxed or nudged into doing something we don’t want to do. That could mean adding another project to an already jam-packed schedule, agreeing to attend a social function we’d rather skip or taking on more than our fair share of household duties—all for the sake of pleasing the person who’s doing the coaxing or nudging.
“Boundary comes from the word for ‘limits,’” notes psychiatrist Dr. Sudhir Gadh. “Boundaries, like all limits, are designed to ensure balance. In regard to relationships, healthy limits on time and space will ensure a balanced lifestyle where career or education, health and connection to family, friends and self are also attended to.”
The first step is learning to spot those situations when boundaries are off-kilter—or even nonexistent.