6 Types of Boundaries Every Woman Must Have to Be Happy

Afraid you give away too much? Personal empowerment requires the time and energy to put your own goals first

Photo by Joel Danielson on Unsplash

The entire world takes from women. Others can take so much from us, time disappears and before we know it, we realize we lived our lives in service to other people’s dreams instead of our own.

Others take our energy, our freedom, our time, our work, and our bodies. Women are expected to be all things to all people, to the point that many believe it’s inappropriate for women to have boundaries at all, or that it’s selfish to have boundaries with a husband, child, parent, or boss.

The sheer amount of responsibility women have today is emotionally and physically crushing (feel like you do EVERYTHING? Check out my last article).

There are some boundaries with others that women must have in order to lead a happy, healthy life — whether those around us like it or not.

Number 1 — Physical boundaries. Your home, your bedroom, your space, and your body are your own, and yet much of society treats women’s bodies like public property, from men touching women inappropriately to a woman’s right to her own body being questioned whenever it’s politically useful. Your right to your home sanctuary, and to your own body, and what you are willing to do with it, are absolute. Physical boundaries keep us safe and maintain our independence and autonomy. You’re allowed to say:

“I don’t feel comfortable inviting you in right now.”
“Please ask before walking into my room.”
“Do not touch me.”
“Please give me more space.”
“I can’t walk any further. I need to sit down.”

Number 2 — Emotional boundaries. Your mind and emotions are your own. You are not required to share them with anyone, or be forced to let anyone else share them with you. We’ve all known “emotional vampires” in our lives who want to suck every drop of attention out of us. Both men and women can be emotional vampires, from strangers to friends to family.

There are times we can “be there” for others and times we want others to “be…