Fostering Healthy Relationships by Setting Boundaries – Why it is Important

It is March and Valentine’s Day is just behind us, love is still in the air. Research shows that the deepest love connections and keys to long-lasting relationships are identifying shared values, knowing, and sharing our individual needs with our partners, holding each other accountable, and setting boundaries. For many couples, setting boundaries can be difficult. This is because we often convince ourselves that we need to let our partners into all aspects of our lives and that somehow boundaries create distance or unnecessary barriers when the opposite is true. Boundaries are a sign of a healthy relationship and are a critical part of making relationships work.

Before you set boundaries, it is important to understand why they are important. Boundaries are an essential part of all healthy relationships, especially romantic ones because they help establish and maintain a balance between you and your partner. Boundaries provide balance and allow you as an individual to protect your peace as well as your partner’s peace because they help establish expectations. Once expectations are understood and respected, having boundaries helps minimize conflict and can bring you closer together by fostering better and more open communication and making you accountable to each other.

Being honest about what you need creates an environment of transparency and clarity and helps make the conversation around setting boundaries easier to have. Expressing your expectations of one another, likes and dislikes, and things you are comfortable or uncomfortable with helps ensure your expectations are understood and helps make sure you are on the same page. As important as it is to communicate your needs and wants when setting boundaries, it is equally important to listen to what your partner needs. The strongest relationships are built on a foundation of mutual respect and reciprocity, meaning relationships are a two-way street. If we want our partners to respect our boundaries, we in turn need to respect theirs and listen to them as well.

Healthy loving relationships are about mutual respect, open communication, and understanding. Setting boundaries with your partner is an act of love and demonstrates your respect, understanding, and empathy for each other’s needs and expectations. Learning how to set and keep boundaries and to keep boundaries may not be something that comes naturally to everyone. Even if setting boundaries is something you do not struggle with, it is important to have the support of others to help keep you accountable and grounded outside of your relationship. If you are seeking a safe space and an opportunity to explore boundary setting, consider joining Brand New Me Journey . There you will also find information about upcoming classes you can join to help you learn how to effectively set boundaries and live more authentically. For more information and resources to help guide your self-improvement and love and relationship journey, sign up here.