Setting good personal boundaries is critical to creating healthy relationships, increasing self- esteem and reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Strong boundaries protect your self- esteem and your identity as an individual with the right to make your own choices. Conversely, a lack of boundaries opens the door for others to determine your thoughts, feelings, and needs.
Unhealthy boundaries are often characterized by a weak sense of your own identity and your own feelings of disempowerment in decision making in your own life. This leads to relying on others for happiness and decision-making responsibilities, thereby losing important parts of your own identity. An inability to set boundaries also stems from fear; fear of abandonment or losing the relationship, fear of being judged or fear of hurting others feelings.
As important as it is to set healthy boundaries, most of us have a difficult time setting healthy boundaries consistently. At times it is difficult to identify when our boundaries are being crossed. We may even fear the consequences to our relationships if we set them.
As leaders, we may know the things we need to do to set boundaries, but with the pandemic and the blurred lines of work/home, often, we aren’t living those boundaries. By modeling boundaries, as a leader, you are giving your team permission to do the same. Good boundaries are a sign of emotional health, self-respect and strength.
Listen in!
