Did you know you can have an addiction that isn’t a substance?
For instance, when we’re around people who are angry, we may find ourselves wanting to either run away or do anything we can to make them not be angry anymore. This can lead to manipulation or fear-based decisions — neither of which feel good for anyone.
But we can learn to be comfortable with other people’s discomfort — to remember that other people’s moods are not our responsibility. Our job is to be true to our own heart. To set and protect boundaries and to find our center in the storm.
Dr. Nicole LePera of @the.holistic.psychologist explains boundaries as “our own personal limits. They allow us to have space between us and another and are the foundation of healthy relationships.”
Many of us were never taught that boundaries are something to set and protect.
No one is entitled to take your time, resources or energy without your express permission.
Many Ziva students say that protecting their non-negotiable meditation time is one of the first real boundaries they’ve set for husbands, children and coworkers. This leads to more and more comfort around protecting your time, even if it makes other people uncomfortable. (News flash… it usually doesn’t.)
When we’re spending more time at home — whether it’s because we’re working remotely or due to a global pandemic — it’s not always easy to tell others we’re taking a few moments for ourselves to meditate.
But trust that each time you set strong boundaries, you are getting more and more comfortable with the uncomfortable. You are growing.