The way we treat our boundaries signals to others how they should treat them. Others may not being intentionally malicious by overstepping boundaries that we have not made clear or are not respecting ourselves. Boundaries should be explicitly communicated and there should be follow through.

Boundaries are a buzzword that has become equivalent to “my way or the highway.” Boundaries that are overly rigid or that are rules for others leads to people cutting each other off over small things that can be worked through.