Boundaries: Where You End and I Begin
Let’s start by thinking of boundaries in this way: Boundaries are where you end and I begin, or vice-versa. Boundaries separate me from you and in doing so, they protect both of us. Many people go through life, however, without any sense of boundaries because they have very little sense of self. Instead of focusing on themselves and their own needs, they have spent their entire lives focusing on others and their needs. People with no or poor boundaries have blurred the line between where they end and other people begin. In many ways, these individuals are like Siamese twins to everyone that they have chosen to attach themselves to. They can tell you their husband’s favorite sport, their wife’s favorite color, their brother’s favorite food, their daughter’s favorite TV show or their best friend’s favorite book. But they can’t begin to tell you about their favorites in these or most any other category. They have been so busy assuming the identities of other people that thes...