Are you struggling to set boundaries that stick?

Do you feel like you're giving it your all, yet people still don’t respect your boundaries?

Setting boundaries is essential for healthy relationships, but many people struggle to enforce them effectively. In this post, I’ll review five common boundary-setting mistakes and provide strategies for making them more effective.

Boundaries communicate how you want to be treated. They make expectations clear so both parties know what to expect from each other and how they should behave. Without boundaries, people may take advantage of you because you haven’t set limits or communicated what behavior is OK and what isn’t.

Boundaries take many forms and are based on your needs and values. When you recognize what matters most to you, you can take steps to prioritize those things. For example, if you need eight hours of sleep, you can establish a boundary to ensure you get it. If you value alone time, setting boundaries can help you avoid overcommitting to social activities.

Now, let’s explore some common boundary challenges and how to address them.

1. You’re Focused on Changing Others Instead of Yourself

While boundaries can involve requesting changes from others, their primary purpose is to help you meet your needs—not to control or change other people. It’s often more effective to focus on what........

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