Have you ever heard someone say, “You’re in my bubble?” We all have. And the bursting of the “bubble” can easily anger us. 

In the Healthy Personal Boundaries Workshop on Jan. 28, Brittina Johnson, a counselor at ULM’s Counseling Center, shared the importance of maintaining personal boundaries. 

According to Johnson, personal boundaries are rules that help a person decide how others should behave around them and what to do if someone disobeys those boundaries. 

Without personal boundaries, relationships can result in resentment, conflicts and inner turmoil. 

But it’s hard to create boundaries. 

“Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries can often cause discomfort,” Johnson said. “It can also cause guilt, shame or doubt within the person enforcing or reinforcing the boundary.”

Johnson shared several types of personal boundaries like physical, intellectual, emotional, sexual, material and time boundaries. Each boundary has its own specific value that promotes self care.

According to Johnson, to create boundaries, you must know your limits and “tune in to your feelings during interactions with others.”

When creating these boundaries, you may feel uncomfortable or guilty. 

But, this can help reduce anxiety, stress and boost your self-esteem. 

Johnson recommends starting small with your boundaries and then challenging yourself with bigger ones. 

Johnson said this topic was chosen because of the pandemic.

“More people, more than ever, due to COVID are now having to navigate spaces where boundaries are needed due to discomfort and/or must be maintained due to mandated restrictions,” Johnson said. 

One student, Ashlee Vines, said the workshop helped her and hopes to use it in her day-to-day life.

“I now know how to establish healthy boundaries and be confident when I make those decisions for myself,” said Vines, a student in the clinical mental health counseling graduate program. 

Johnson recommends if you need help to contact the Counseling Center. The center is free to students and offers sessions through Zoom or phone.