Healthy boundaries are the ultimate guide to successful relationships. Without healthy boundaries, relationships do not thrive—they result in feelings of resentment, disappointment, or violation. These feelings, unchecked, can lead to being cut off from others or enmeshment, where there’s no clear division between you and others’ needs and feelings. Neither of these situations is ideal. Most of the time, people are not trying to violate your limits—they just aren’t aware of what they are. Sometimes, this is because we are not clear with ourselves or other people about what we want or need. Below are six boundaries you deserve to have and what they might look like in practice. RELATED: 6 Steps For Setting Good Boundaries & Maintaining Them It is OK to let people know that you don’t want to be touched or that you need more space. It is also OK to say that you are hungry or that you need to rest. Healthy physical boundaries might sound like: It might sound like: Healthy time boundaries might sound like: Healthy sexual boundaries include: Healthy intellectual boundaries also mean considering whether or not it is a good time to talk about something. They might sound like: Having limits on how your material items are treated is healthy and prevents resentment over time. This might sound like: The more we set boundaries, the more we recognize them. In setting boundaries, we help people show up for us, and we also become better at showing up for them. In the words of Brené Brown, “Clear is kind.” RELATED: Strong Boundaries Are Key To Work-Life Balance: How To Set Them
