It can feel pretty good to say yes, at least at the moment. But here’s something to ask yourself: When you say yes, what are you saying yes to?
Yes to that accepting that second or third helping at dinner. Yes to letting yourself get dragged into someone else’s emotional drama. Yes to that additional time commitment when your day is already overscheduled. Yes to… well, you get the picture.
If you are living with a chronic condition, you’re already the expert on the importance of making your own self-care a priority – being aware of your own needs, and your strengths, as well as the limitations that your condition may bring into your life, the good days and the not-so-good days.
So what happens on those days when your self-care ends up slipping a few notches on your list of priorities?
The way to answer that question is with another question (or three):
When you say yes, what are you bringing into your life at that moment? And by saying yes, what are you giving up? And most important, is that “yes” also a way of saying “no” to taking the best care of yourself?
One important aspect of your self-care means setting boundaries. A boundary is basically rules or guidelines for what you need to have in place to be at your best – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Not sure if you need to take a look at the boundaries that you are setting, or not setting? You might want to look at your boundaries if you:
- Have that vague sense that you could be doing something more productive or healthy
- Feel annoyed or resentful when you just said yes to something that you know you will enjoy for the moment but you also know isn’t going to benefit you in any way
- Know you are going to be exhausted because you just promised away time that you had planned to use to take a break
- Wish that the energy you are using in taking care of other people was also being used to take better care of yourself
Think your boundaries might need some reinforcing? Here are some ideas to get you started:
Know yourself. The starting point is setting with boundaries is with you. What do you need to have in place in your life, day to day, to feel at your best? Nobody knows you like you do – your body, your emotions, your spirit.
Get specific. What does a good day look like for you? Think about what helps you to feel at your best, including your ideal activity level, the kinds of activities, amount of rest time, time with people, time alone, the kinds of foods that make you feel good. And also think about what gets in the way of what could otherwise be a good day, including over-work, lack of rest, not listening to your body on days when you don’t feel well, and people who bring drama and negativity. Knowing what you need to do to take care of yourself is empowering.
Set realistic standards. One of the biggest reasons for not enforcing your own boundaries is feeling like you need to be all things, to all people, all the time. That’s a lot to ask of yourself. Perfectionism is a trap, leading you to say yes when you should say no, and often followed by exhaustion and resentment. So look in the mirror and repeat after me: “I don’t have to be perfect.” Your value as a human being doesn’t depend on how much you turn yourself inside out by pleasing others. Give yourself permission to treat yourself with tender loving care.
Start communicating your boundaries. Let people know what you can and can’t do. You don’t have to give a big speech and hope everybody takes you seriously. Instead, communicate boundaries in the moment, like when someone asks you to do something that you don’t want to do, or don’t feel like doing, or asks you to commit to a future activity when you aren’t ready to commit.
Enforce gently. Repeat as needed. Most likely, the people in your life will be taken by surprise when you start to set limits with them. Using phrases like “sorry, I can’t do that,” or “that’s wouldn’t be good for me” or “I have to schedule this for later,” can get the message across without being confrontational. But remember that you may need to enforce your boundaries repeatedly, over time, to be understood. You’ve probably heard the old saying, hope springs eternal.
Leave the guilt at the door. Whether intended or not, a no may result in a guilt trip from the person you say no to. If the “but, why? Question, followed by “but I thought…” then be prepared to have your guilt button pushed. Remember that you are in control here. Don’t feel like you have to make excuses for yourself or explain yourself away. Don’t push yourself to negotiate unless you want to.
Take time to prepare for problem situations. We all find ourselves in situations where setting limits with ourselves or with others will be especially difficult. It can help to have a strategy in place in advance. You might want to rehearse what you will say or do when temptations – or triggers – arise. Decide what situations you will avoid, how you will react. Have a safety plan in place, including an escape plan if needed. Enlisting someone to support you can help.
Watch the blaming. It’s easy to fall into the trap of blaming other people for making demands on us, or for putting temptations in front of us. But don’t assume that other people have are out to take advantage of you or distract you from your self-care goals. Sometimes they just don’t know any better. It may be that you haven’t communicated your boundaries in a way that they can understand, or that they need a few more gentle reminders. Let other people be who they are. Remember that you can’t control their expectations but you can control how much you intend to deliver.
And remember that enforcing your boundaries begins with you. Give yourself some encouragement to stay within the limits that you have set to take good care of yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Give yourself a pat on the back for doing the best you can, and don’t criticize yourself for not being perfect.
By the way, with the holidays approaching, this is a great time to do review your boundaries in advance of the season of over-expectation, over-commitment, and over-indulgence.
Enforcing boundaries is a process, moment by moment, one step at a time. And remember, if you are taking good care of yourself, you will be that much better able to care for the important people in your life.