A New Line Dance - Boundaries

 

When the boundaries are blurred, we no longer act out of the deepest sense of our being.


Healthy boundaries have some flexibility and limits depending upon the nature of the relationship. The roles we play in relationships define the limits of appropriate interaction with others. Husbands and wives have a different peer relationship with each other than the husband has with his golf partner. Co-workers have rules that apply on the job that are exclusive to the situation. Males relate to other males differently than females do to other female peers.

Our role with another person can change depending on the circumstances. We may be someone's boss on the job but a peer to him on a committee in our religious group. The role we play in relationships with others defines the boundaries that we set or accept.

We not only need to have healthy boundaries, but we also need to communicate to others what these boundaries are whether they know anything about boundaries or not. We don't have to buy "Ronnie" a teaching-tape series on boundaries for him to learn how to respect our boundaries. All we need to do is set our own boundaries and go on. We don't have to fix "Ronnie". He can be mad, glad, or sad, and we can let him be that way. he can get over it or not get over it. Our boundary issues are about us, not about the other persons in our lives.