boundaries: a poem

You are not responsible ⁣from rescuing others to experience ⁣what they need in order to grow...
these days⁣
women are “selfish” ⁣
seeking for boundaries⁣
between work and life, ⁣
and for choosing to honor ⁣
the needs of her mind and body.⁣

it’s not easy to say no, ⁣
and doing this takes great courage—⁣
leading with the heart,⁣
instead of living in the mind, ⁣
manipulated by past traumas⁣
(domesticating our wild nature.)⁣

never let anyone ⁣
embroider their stories onto you ⁣
to make you feel less of a person, ⁣
for choosing yourself first⁣
and giving your boundaries a powerful voice, ⁣
instead of always being agreeable and amenable.⁣

if we give ourselves permission⁣
to bring life to those boundaries, ⁣
then we must honor others’ ⁣
the freedom to feel their own.⁣

you are not responsible ⁣
from rescuing others to experience ⁣
what they need in order to grow.⁣
you do not have to set yourself on fire, ⁣
in order to keep others warm.⁣

boundaries⁣
create the foundation to our wellbeing.⁣
it is having the courage to love ourselves⁣
in the midst of trying to live by ⁣
someone else’s choices. ⁣

when we learn ⁣
how to create and hold space for ourselves, ⁣
only then can we empower others to do the same. ⁣

— boundaries⁣

love, emyli.