I’m talking today about boundaries.

Not the type that leads to neighbourhood disputes over hedges.

I’m talking about personal boundaries.

How many times do you:

• Agree to do something but inwardly seethe with resentment?
• Put everybody’s own needs before your own?
• Take on responsibilities that are not yours to take on? (‘My team are busy and I don’t want to burden them’)
• Think about what you ‘should’ do vs. what you truly want to do.

There’s a number of reasons you might be nodding your head and I can pretty much guarantee your boundaries are stamped on because of your own beliefs or fears:

• A belief that you SHOULD put others before yourself - always
• Fear of rejection
• Fear of being selfish
• Fear of someone else’s reaction if you honour your own boundary
• People pleasing or need for approval
• Guilt or shame

Did I miss any?

Of course a lot of these beliefs and fears come from the early messages we got (explicitly or implicitly)...