Barbed Wire Boundaries— Setting Healthy Boundaries as a Woman in Business

Electric fences aren’t as good for keeping things out as they are for keeping things in.

Boundaries are like that. Powerful.

They tell a passerby a lot. Plastic, solid, and tall is cute in theory but may not stand the test of time in the gulf south, you’ll need lots of space between the panels so wind doesn’t knock it down. Barbed wire leaves nothing to the imagination, does its job, but hurts passing in or out. Brick is… just heavy.

The invisible boundaries we set for our lives are like that, too.

A NICE CYPRESS SHADOWBOX FOR ME, THANKS.

And I’ll take a gate on each length with a wreath.

HERE’S WHY…

I appreciate structured chaos. But most of all, I like a space where I know the expectations I can operate within to make the most of my time there. And, in my experience, other people do too.

So, similar to a shadowbox fence, I keep my boundaries pretty clear with minimal opportunities for mass invasion. There’s decorated and dedicated entrances. You can hear the party on the other side and there’s space between the slats to peek in to see if the walk to the gate is worth it… but you have to be committed if you want to get a good view.

Boundaries are about being empowered to expect and guide people to using the designated entrances (and letting them know when there are secret passages in play). I don’t believe most people mind having boundaries to guide them. The ones who have an issue with it are usually the ones who end up costing you repairs in the long run.

What’s important is that you set boundaries at all and adjust them to work the way you intend for them to work — for both incoming and outgoing traffic.

I could go miles deep with this analogy but I just don’t have it in me. This Day 11 of writing every day for thirty days and I’d love to have your help in the comments. Can you see where I’m going with the fence & gate analogy?

What would your boundary LOOK like if it were physical?