Give the Gift of Healthy Boundaries
Brene Brown says through her research that the most compassionate people are the ones who hold the most boundaries. Boundaries are the way to let others and yourself know what is okay with you and what is not okay. They create clarity, transparency and respect of yourself and others.
They support you in being loving, generous and honoring your truth. This allows you to be authentic and create a real connection with others. In Brene’s research, she states that one cannot be generous with others if we are not holding our own boundaries.
The idea is that if you hold boundaries, it is actually a sign of how much you are in integrity with yourself. When you are in integrity with yourself, then you can assume the best of others and this opens up the heart and generosity.
Boundaries are hard to hold because we are afraid not only of what others will think of us but also of hurting another person’s feelings. The truth is by not holding boundaries, you are doing more damage than you realize.
CLICK HERE to watch Brene Brown’s short video on Boundaries.
What boundaries would be good to hold for yourself this holiday? In my work with clients, we work a lot on boundaries around not working all the time – holding a boundary around taking time to be in nature, take a break and walk away from the office and just have downtime. This always helps the client work more effectively and more productively. Clients always end up bringing in more business by holding boundaries, and they do it by taking care of themselves first. Boundaries help us love ourselves more, and this opens us up to give and to receive more love around us.
This holiday season, take the opportunity to take one baby step forward and hold a boundary that supports you in loving yourself more and nurturing yourself through this stressful time of year.
Create a boundary that honors you in being truthful with yourself, and then let the love that generates pour into the people around you. This gift is twofold because it supports you as well as others.
Practice giving the gift of boundaries.