Boundaries
Recently, while I was away at a retreat, I had the opportunity to read Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. This book has been out for a long time and I have heard lots about it, but never got around to reading it.
I will confess that I have had my trouble with saying ‘no’ to requests. It was worse when I was younger but I know that I still say ‘yes’ a little too often.
But this is not about just saying yes or no. There are different contexts in which we live. We have work, school, church and family. All of them scream for our attention, time and energy. There is no way we can give them all that they want.
This is what the book is really about. We cannot survive without boundaries.
What I really liked about the book is that it does not sugarcoat life. The fact is that some people will be angry when we put up boundaries. There will be consequences. But the consequences will not be as bad as leaving ourselves without boundaries. It is also likely that people will adapt when healthier life choices are being made.
The book provides plenty of examples and practical suggestions for creating boundaries in your life.
If you have never read it, I recommend you pick up a copy of Boundaries. It will be relevant to every area of your life. Purchase it in the USA or Canada.
