What exactly are boundaries? Well, I like the definition that Melody Beattie gives in Codependent No More:

Boundaries are limits that say: “This is how far I shall go. This is what I will or won’t do for you. This is what I won’t tolerate from you.”

Boundaries are fundamental to how we function (or perhaps, don’t function) on a daily basis. Very few people have mastered the art of setting boundaries which are “just right”; instead, most of us tend to have boundaries which are either too weak or too rigid (or which fluctuate between the two, depending on who we’re dealing with).

And if we’re experiencing trouble in our relationships, odds are that it’s because we have a problem setting or maintaining appropriate boundaries:

We go too far.

We do too much.

We tolerate too much.

Spend some time today thinking about boundaries, and how successfully — or unsuccessfully — you apply them in your relationships. Do you have some work to do in this area?