The Ultimate Guide to Healthy and Strong Relationship Boundaries
Relationship goals require strong relationship boundaries.
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The happiest, healthiest relationships share similar characteristics.
These couples appear to enjoy each other’s company. When they disagree, they seem to work it out. They seem to trust each other and feel secure within the relationship without going so far as to take it for granted.
Healthy relationships also share one other commonality: they have strong boundaries.
In the interest of full disclosure, I often struggle with healthy boundaries. Too often, I lost myself within relationships with no idea how it even happened in the first place. It’s been a growth journey, but I’ve learned what healthy boundaries are, how to set them, and how to maintain them over time.
What are Boundaries?
When we think of boundaries in a relationship, we might think of a carefully guarded wall that keeps other people out. The reality is that healthy boundaries are more like a fence that separates our individual identity from that of others. It’s not a prison that keeps us locked in or a wall that keeps other people out but a reminder of property lines — and shouldn’t we all really belong to ourselves?
Boundaries are the limits between us and other people. In relationships, they are an outline of the behaviors we find acceptable and the ones that are unacceptable. In short, healthy boundaries teach others the right way to treat us.
Healthy personal boundaries can help us have good working relationships, satisfying romantic relationships, and even thriving friendships. Yet, if we didn’t have a model of healthy relationships growing up, we might find it difficult to know how to implement strong boundaries within our relationships.
How to Set Boundaries in a Relationship
Setting boundaries is necessary for relationships to thrive. It’s best to talk about boundaries when we’re calm and have the time for a conversation. We need to allow enough time to speak and to allow our partners to communicate also.
