I’ve never had strong boundaries. Never really knew what my boundaries were until someone stepped over them and I didn’t like it. (Those people/experiences are gifts because they pointed out one of my boundaries.) Through coaching I realized that I have a boundary issue. Issue might be a strong word but boundaries are something I could work on, a muscle I can build.
So when Caroline recommended this book about boundaries I ordered it immediately. There are so many great nuggets of wisdom in here but there’s one in particular I’ve been thinking about since.
A big part of boundaries is taking responsibility for what you’re responsible for and letting other people take responsibility for what they are responsible for.
Woah. That blew my mind.
I often feel the weight of the world on my shoulders – feeling solely responsible for an entire project at work or like I’ve got to make things happen with family or friends – so this was a HUGE ah-ha moment for me. I’ve been trying to remind myself of this since and when I do, it lifts a little bit of weight off of me.
I hope it’s a good reminder for you too so I’ll say it again.
A big part of boundaries is taking responsibility for what you’re responsible for and letting other people take responsibility for what they are responsible for.