Tapping into local expertise for everyday health & well-being. |
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BALANCED BOUNDARIES
Healthy Habits When Saying Yes & No
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Saying "No" is Good for You!
Establishing healthy boundaries is an important part of one’s identity and is a crucial aspect of mental health and wellbeing. Boundaries can be physical, emotional, relational, spiritual or sexual and they can range from being loose to rigid. Healthy boundaries often fall somewhere in between.
Knowing our boundaries and setting boundaries are two very different hurdles. Setting boundaries is often a skill that needs to be learned. Upholding boundaries takes practice. Keep in mind, boundaries serve to keep people in your lives, not cut them out. Your personal boundaries are essentially the rules you are asking others to play by, rather than saying they can’t play at all. You are creating a beneficial margin of mutual respect to protect yourself and your personal needs.
Follow these easy steps to create and set healthy boundaries to improve your life at home, at work and with your peer group. Saying "No" is okay. It means you’re taking care of you.
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Write down clear specific boundaries you wish to implement with specific groups: family, colleagues, significant other, peers, etc. (I will not answer work emails off the clock. Please stay out of my bedroom/ office when I am not at home. I will not go out with you if you insist on driving after drinking.) If you are in a new relationship or a new job, establish your boundaries early to avoid confusion for everyone. |
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Take your newly written boundaries, stand in front of a mirror, and recite them out loud. Or read them to yourself every day if that’s more your comfort level. Role-play talking about your boundaries with a trusted person in your life. Practice, practice, practice will make them easier to assert and easier to maintain. |
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Establishing healthy boundaries can be scary if you are new to implementing them. Start small and start with strangers. Strangers are less intimidating than people you know and/or love. Correct the waiter who brought you the wrong food order. Correct your Uber driver who drops you off half a block away. Tell your barista your coffee is room temperature. Be proud of your progress. You can do this! |
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Transforming Health Care
(708) 383-9300
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Misbeliefs, Obstacles to Healthy Boundaries and Wellness
Establishing healthy boundaries may have you feeling conflicted. If you are an innate people pleaser, learning to say no may be challenging. Feelings of guilt, abandonment, or even failure may pop into your head as you learn to take care of you. These feelings, called misbeliefs, are quite natural. Misbeliefs may be feeling guilty when you say no. You may believe that the needs of others are more important than your beliefs. You may think it is selfish to take time for you or to say no. You may believe you must show up and help others and, in turn, neglect your care.
Often, we realize these behavior patterns need to change when our discomfort level is alerting us with feelings of guilt or resentment. We may feel taken advantage of but continue our behaviors. We may say yes when we want to say no. We might be experiencing so many long-established patterns and emotions that we instinctively put ourselves last. Unhealthy wellness patterns are often rooted in misbeliefs.
A gentle reminder that changing long-held unhealthy beliefs can be hard work. Extend yourself grace and patience. Sometimes we need someone to assist us in this transitional phase. A trusted friend that has experience with boundaries, or a therapist can be a safe place to support you in this process. Again, it just takes some patience, grace, perseverance, and self-care. Remember, setting healthy boundaries with yourself, your family, friends, and colleagues will be mutually beneficial for everyone.
services that fit all your needs. If you feel you may need more intense support, Rush offers psychiatric and psychological services. Whether you are learning to establish healthy boundaries with family, friends, food, alcohol, or something else, Rush has community resources and an abundance of in-house care teams to help you live your healthiest, favorite life.
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Compassion & service every day.
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Balanced Boundaries Within YOU
Are you taking care of you? Do you even know that that means? Healthy boundaries are more than just learning to say no thank you to friends and family when you don’t want to join in seemingly obligatory festivities. Balance starts within you.
Physical balance means making sure you get 6-8 hours of sleep each night, staying hydrated by drinking 90 oz water each day, and making healthy food choices when you eat and shop. Caring for your physical self is the first step in establishing balanced boundaries. If you don’t take care of you, who will?
Emotional balance is evaluating how you handle daily stressors or how well you deal with change. Stress and change are inherent parts of life but how do you cope? Do you view change as the end of life as you know it, or do you view change as a new beginning with endless opportunities ahead of you?
Spiritual balance refers to your beliefs. Do you believe in a higher power in some capacity? Whether you label it Karma, the Golden Rule, Yin-Yang, etc., it boils down to the same notion that what you put out into the universe and how you treat those around you, is what ultimately will come back to you. Simply put, be kind always.
Relational balance is about give and take or compromise. Whether it is a coworker, significant other, family member or best friend, you should never be doing all the giving or compromise. Never. Learn to say no to extra office projects that will force you to cancel your weekend plans. It’s okay to say no, you don’t want to spend an entire weekend watching football when you’d rather go on a hike and enjoy fall colors. It’s okay to tell Aunt Karen you are full and don’t care for a second serving of casserole even though she made it from scratch, just the way you loved it when you were a kid. (Every family has the dreaded, but well-meaning food pushers!)
Sexual balance and boundaries are about more than just safe words. Balance and boundaries are about knowing your relationship will not end tonight, if you or your partner say no to sex because you are feeling ill or exhausted. Boundaries are establishing open communication about what levels of experimentation you are comfortable engaging in and what you are not. Sexual balance and boundaries are about more than the physical act, but also about connecting on a mental and emotional level.
Riveredge Hospital in Forest Park has a variety of resources to help you take a deeper look at your life balances and boundaries. Learning what is best for you is the first step in balancing your life and lifestyle.
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Optimizing Health Wellness and Performance
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Healthy Boundaries to Cope with Food & Drink "Pushers"?
As we approach the holiday season and your relative says I made this dish “just for you” and it’s full of gluten, which is not the best for you, how do you say no? Or do you cave in and then blame them for ruining your resolve? There are many strategies one can use, like the kindness maneuver or the direct approach, or many more. One thing is for sure, try to avoid using phrases like “I’m on a diet” or “I’m going low-carb” as this tends to make them feel judged.
Please call 312-801-0318, complete THIS FORM for a complimentary consultation with our Health and Nutritional Counselor or THIS FORM for a complimentary consult with one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy. A coaching session or a physical therapy session will help keep your resolve while you enjoy the holidays. B-Health is here to keep your holiday season bright.
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Your Story. To be continued.
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A Balanced Lifestyle is the Best Lifestyle
Sometimes we enjoy the company of others and sometimes we enjoy some solitude. For seniors, regular exercise, mental stimulation, and socialization are crucial for maintaining mental alertness and strong cognitive function. However, sometimes it’s relaxing to spend a quiet evening alone to recharge our mental batteries.
Establishing healthy boundaries is critical for seniors, their self-care and a lifestyle balance. Regular exercise keeps muscles strong so alternate your workout routines – every other day exercise in a group by going for long walks together, water aerobics or a fitness class. On off days, take a stroll by yourself and notice the change in the leaves or walk on a treadmill while listening to an audiobook. The objective is to simply keep moving.
Mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation. Do not feel pressured to attend every group activity offered by your community or peer group. Establish boundaries and find a balance. Take group art or dance classes and lead a trivia night team. Then spend some time alone learning a new hobby like sudoku, cross word puzzles, or crochet. Try all the activities offered to you at least once. You may discover a new passion!
Group dining is a key amenity in senior living. Delicious hot food prepared for you seven days a week sounds awfully nice, doesn’t it? But group dining also requires a lot of conversation and if you are an introvert, small talk can be exhausting. Establish a routine with your peer group early on. All of you will meet for breakfast Monday through Friday but weekends are on your own. Dinner four days a week, but popcorn in front of Netflix is mandatory at least twice a week. Do not feel guilty or pressured by your extroverted friends by establishing healthy socializing boundaries. Your digestive track will thank you!
American House has everything you need for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Multiple dining options, group activities seven days a week, exercise facilities and group cardio, arts, an in-house movie theater and more. Find a balance in your routine and take advantage of all the amenities. American House Oak Park is now open and ready for you to move in today. You will be impressed with your tour of this beautiful new community space.
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(708) 445-6000
Caregivers have a Voice Too
Every family member has a voice in caring for a loved one. Set clear boundaries early on of who is handling finances, legalities, etc., that coincide with each person’s comfort level and encourage family members to speak up. Right at Home can assist in every aspect of homecare. Read the list of Seven Musts in Homecare.
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(312) 259-7585
Saying No to Bad Foods is Saying Yes to Your Health!
Any time you choose to say NO to processed foods, sugars, soft drinks and processed carbs, you are saying Yes to your gut health. We can teach you to say Yes to you and NO to the gluten, dairy and other foods that compromise you feeling your best. Give us a call today!
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Self Love
Why is saying no so hard for many of us? Saying “no” or “not right now” can be an act of self-love. It has become common, even expected, a badge of honor to be busy. Being overly busy actually decreases productivity and overall health. Conceptualizing and enforcing boundaries for yourself is an important step in choosing your mental wellness.
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The OPRF Chamber of Commerce is committed to the health and well-being of our community.
Wellness Wednesdays are a supplement to the annual Community Health & Wellness Fair which connects our Chamber Members in the Health & Wellness sector to clients and consumers throughout Chicagoland's western suburbs.
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Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce
143 S Oak Park Avenue
708.613.0550
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This eBlast was sent out by the OPRF Chamber of Commerce in support of the recovery of our local Health & Wellness businesses. Staying local for all of your lifestyle needs keeps your spending dollars in the community. For more information about the OPRF Chamber, click our website below.
STAY CONNECTED TO THE OPRF CHAMBER
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