Five Must-Have Boundaries for Healthy Relationships

Healthy boundaries are a must in every relationship. Whether it is mother and child, friends, husband and wife, or co-workers, there always has to be boundary lines drawn and understood on both sides. These boundaries should be respected by all parties to keep the relationship strong and healthy. People that have these healthy boundaries in place are typically happier in their everyday lives than those that do not.

Many children are raised in families that do not have boundaries, and this spills into their adult lives. As adults, how do we take the steps to create, understand, and enforce boundaries? Because of the upbringing of these children, the issue is not just having their own boundaries established. They are unable to accept, understand, and respect other people's wishes. They also take it as a direct insult when others set and enforce their lines and feel as if they have been rejected.

When children are raised in a family that has no understanding of the difference of a close family and a family that has no boundaries they grow into individuals that have difficulty functioning in a relationship.

What are some examples of healthy boundaries in any relationship? Some of them are very basic. There are five rules that every relationship should have. Whether it is a neighbor, friend, or family member, these rules should be respected by both parties. Here are these basic, but important boundaries for healthy relationships:

1. Expect that every person has their own personal space and that every person will respect your personal space.

2. Treat others in the way you would like to be treated.

3. Do not expect people to embrace your lifestyle and change to meet your needs. A little flexibility goes a long way.

4. Pushing your lifestyle and beliefs onto others is disrespectful.

5. Never question the boundaries in an insulting way. When things are misunderstood, it is best to ask in a calm and respectful way why those rules are in place and how they are beneficial in their lives. This will give them an opening to explain things to you rather than feel attacked.

With these basic boundaries in place you will be able to teach yourself and your children to be more tolerant and respectful of others. Once you have adopted these and respected some of the same, you will be able to start practicing more healthy boundaries in your life and relationships.

Whether you are trying to establish, strengthen, or teach boundaries, it is my hope that the techniques I present will be beneficial to you in your life.

Come back for more information and the next lesson to help you establish healthy relationships, and in the next few weeks, learn more about me, and when I learned about boundaries.