Harnessing the Power of Self-Boundaries – We live in a world overflowing with noise, distractions, and endless demands and distractions (PINGS and DINGS 24/7, anyone?) – it’s all too easy to get swept up in busyness and the demands of others. All that outward-facing ATTENTION leads us to a lack of INTENTION for ourselves, and we often end up neglecting our own needs.
YOUR needs, YOUR priorities matter.
Deep within the depths of our being lies a treasure, this hidden gem that often goes unnoticed and unused. It’s my heartfelt duty to shed light on this remarkable discovery, as it holds the key to unlocking genuine impact and fulfillment in our lives.
I’m here to introduce you to a game-changer in life called self-boundaries. When I work with people who feel like they are out of control or overwhelmed or struggling, I teach them how to take their innate power back using the gifts of boundaries FOR themselves!
How Our Minds Work:
We spend a great deal of our mental time talking ourselves in or out of things. We are essentially telling (and selling) ourselves on what we SHOULD do, what we WANT to do, or even what we NEED to do. And either doing it or not doing it. We can make almost anything seem easier or harder.
Side note: If we convince ourselves that something sounds really hard, there’s a good chance we won’t do it. Or we’ll put it off by procrastinating.
It’s all about how we present it to ourselves. How many of you know what I’m talking about … that exercise equipment you ordered sitting in the garage or the corner, either gathering dust or covered with clothes.
Meet Your Superpower:
Self-Boundaries The most straightforward description is this – self-boundaries are the options we choose for ourselves based on the framework of what we want and value in our life. They are the guidelines we choose to help keep ourselves on track.
It might be what you eat, how you deal with stress, when you move, when you rest, how you function best, and setting up a framework around it. Why is now the time to take a look at your self-boundaries? Because it’s time to take control and create a life that aligns with your true desires and values.
Self-boundaries keep us on OUR path, the path we choose for ourselves.
Here are just a few examples in my life: I move my body every morning – stretching, doing my own yoga/50-80 push-ups; then I focus my brain for the next few hours on clients, writing, or creating. I nap if I can, and I need to. And I turn off my electronics around 9 pm so I can fall asleep around 10 pm. If I’m upset, I pause and breathe before any conversation.
How Do You Operate?
- Based on how you function best, you can create the circumstances to set yourself up to manage your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.
- Setting self-boundaries helps us manage our time effectively, ensuring we allocate sufficient energy and attention to what truly matters to US.
- By establishing boundaries around time management, emotional regulation, personal space, social interactions, intellectual pursuits, and spiritual beliefs, we gain a greater sense of balance and reduce the burden of overwhelm.
- Self-boundaries provide us with a sense of control and enable us to live in alignment with our values, needs, and priorities.
When we use them, we create a solid foundation for personal growth and fulfillment.
Example: I have several introverted clients who have embraced their need for alone time, and instead of forcing themselves to go to social events just to please others, they draw the line FOR THEMSELVES at how many events they say YES to doing. They release the need to please or the guilt in saying NO.
Where can you set some of your own self-boundaries?
- Time boundaries: Learn to prioritize your time and set realistic limits on what you can do.
- Emotional boundaries: Recognize and honor your emotional needs, allowing yourself to feel without judgment. If you need time, take it!
- Physical boundaries: Set up your personal space and comfort zones to support how you think, play, rest, and work to ensure your physical well-being.
- Intellectual boundaries: Protect your mental space by using focused attention on one thing at a time. Turn off notifications when you’re doing this. Learn to identify when your brain is “full,” and your energy needs recharging.
- Spiritual boundaries: Identify and plan space for the ways you like to connect based on your spiritual beliefs and practices, creating space for inner reflection and growth.
Here are a few tips if you’re ready to start setting them:
Start by identifying your needs and wants. What’s important to you? What do you need in order to feel good? What goals do you want to achieve? Once you know what you need, you can start to set guidelines around it. This may mean saying no to things that you don’t want to do or setting boundaries around your time and energy.
Self-boundaries are for you – so offer yourself the gift of figuring out how to use them. If you’re struggling with any of this, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me for more ideas and tips. I love this stuff!
Connect with Theresa: https://theresabyrne.taplink.ws
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