• “ Having personal boundaries will cause my relationships to suffer .” If you are in a codependent relationship , creating boundaries will most certainly create uncomfortable waves of change . If your partner is co-dependently entangled with you , he / she will be shocked and will certainly resist your efforts to be happy and healthy . The same thing goes for codependent friendships . If this is the case , I encourage you to consider whether being in a toxic relationship / friendship is worth it . Any healthy and supportive relationship will actually THRIVE and encourage the establishment of personal boundaries .
• “ Having personal boundaries will cause people to dislike me .” This is only partly true . The reality is that yes , setting clear boundaries might step on a few people ’ s toes . But creating boundaries will also cause more people to respect , hear , and like you . There is nothing more admirable than a person who refuses to take bullshit from others . Not only that but when you set boundaries , you will actually attract more people who are willing to respect you and be authentic friends / lovers .
• “ Having personal boundaries will make me miserable .” This is a common concern . But my response is simple : creating personal boundaries might feel uncomfortable at first , but pretty soon it ’ ll make you feel empowered and in control of your life again . So the opposite here is true : having personal boundaries will actually make you MUCH happier !
• “ Having personal boundaries sounds rigid .” Personal boundaries are not black or white or set in stone . They are flexible according to your needs in the moment .
12 Benefits of Creating Strong Personal Boundaries
Here ’ s what you can expect from putting in the hard work of setting clear boundaries :
• You ’ ll be able to say “ no ”
• You ’ ll feel empowered again