Taking your mental health to heart

Respecting Other People’s Boundaries

Taking your mental health to heart

Respecting Other People’s Boundaries

Author: Stéphanie Deslauriers, psychoeducator

Personal Boundaries

Everyone has their boundaries—not only is that totally normal, but it’s also very healthy.

Your boundaries may include wanting people to respect your personal space, refusing what you consider unacceptable behaviour in others, resting when you’re tired, defining the types of interactions that you want to have with friends and family, etc.

The older you get, the more you’ll get to know yourself in terms of your strengths, boundaries, values, needs, interests, etc.

When you were younger, you may have tolerated behaviour, comments, and friendships or romantic relationships that you’d never accept now. You’ve gained life experience, in the form of successes and failures (which have allowed you to learn, right?).

When you know your boundaries, it’s easier for you to respect them and ensure that others do the same, because you are better able to express them to other people and assert yourself.

Unfortunately, some people will continue to overstep your boundaries. Do you think you’ve ever overstepped someone else’s boundaries yourself?

Universal Boundaries

Universal Boundaries

In addition to the personal boundaries specific to each of us, there are also universal boundaries that should be respected, such as:

  • Respect (for ourselves, others, and the environment)
  • Considerate communication (whether in your inner monologue, your friendships, or your relationships with family members or adults around you)
  • The absence of violence of any type (physical, verbal, virtual, sexual, and psychological)
  • Safety (physical and psychological)

. . . to name just four.

Can you think of other universal boundaries that everyone should respect?

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