The Blessings of Boundaries

A parent in Ohio wrote, “Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children helps parents of adult children see their own part in their child’s struggles and makes it clear that until we parents change our bad habits of enabling our adult child, they will never grow up. That message alone made us sit up and take notice. The book also gives real life situations that those of us going through similar things can relate to. We also like the step-by-step plan for changing the bad habits with our child and setting boundaries with consequences. The Biblical and spiritual references give such hope for facing our heartbreaking situations. We highlighted many points and phrases that gave clarity to how we were enabling our child. We highly recommend this book to parents struggling with their adult child.” Carol Carpenter (Mount Vernon, OH)

Thank you, Carol. If there’s one thing that brings more of an “Ah Ha Moment” than anything else for folks struggling with challenging relationships with difficult people, adult children, or toxic parents, it’s when the light-bulb goes on and they suddenly realize that no matter how out-of-control things may seem, they can control the most important life-changing thing possible—how they respond to the choices difficult people make!

An Uncomfortable Truth

All of the books in my setting boundaries series explore an uncomfortable truth regarding setting boundaries not only with people you love, but also with people you must interact with during the course of your life: When it comes to changing our life, the “responsibility” buck stops with us.

If you’re struggling with difficult people, if you’re turned inside out and living from one crisis to the next in pain, fear, anger, or frustration because of the behavior and choices of others, there’s a strong probability that you’re making some poor choices yourself.

Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not blaming you for the problems you may be having with a difficult person. They may very well be off the mark and behaving in a reprehensible or inappropriate manner. But their actions, no matter how atrocious, do not dictate your response.

How you respond to them can make all the difference in the world.

When we identify the role we play in our relationships with difficult people we become empowered to make new choices that will bring freedom and forever change our lives.

Please share your “Ah-Ha Moment” with us in the comment section below.