Healthy Boundaries & Refusal Skills

There are many outside influences that help us to develop, and sometimes change, our personal boundaries. Many of those influences are positive, however some can be negative. As we navigate through our days, we should notice how the individuals that we interact with affect our thoughts about our actions. Our family and close friends tend to be the biggest influences on us as we develop personal boundaries. We observe their words and actions the most, and tend to pick up on their habits.

The media influences our boundaries, as well. When we talk about the media, we are talking about shows that we watch on television, music videos, songs, video games, the news, books, magazines, ads that we see online, and so much more! All of these media sources try to “sell” us the idea that something is cool, or fun, or will make us popular, even if that idea can be hurtful to others.

As we become aware of the people and factors that influence us, we need to determine if they are influencing us in a positive manner or a negative manner.