Boundaries: Feeling left open and exposed
At a recent gathering, the party guests were invited to get vulnerable and share something raw and real. For me, getting vulnerable doesn’t come easy. I judge a lot of people feel similarly.
Sometimes, I feel vulnerable even when I am not sharing some intense personal story. Some setting cause me to feel vulnerable, exposed, naked:
When I’m in a bathroom and the door doesn’t lock.
When my bedroom window is directly in line with a neighbor’s view.
When I enter a space where the light is super bright after leaving a dark area.
When my front door is made of all glass.
In so many ways, our space is helping us to feel safe and secure or leaving us with an uneasy feeling of exposure and lack of boundaries.
Imposter Syndrome can be a subtle affect of an environment lacking clearly defined boundaries.
Energy Zones & Boundaries:
In large, open spaces, we can easily feel fatigue. We’re trying to find and recognize our boundaries and that takes up a lot of energy. Museums are a great example – it is usually only a few hours before the most energetic among us are worn out browsing an art museum.
Break large spaces up into zones, using furniture or carpets or lighting, such that it is clear where the sit-and-social area is separate from the sit-and-work area is. Use curtains/blinds to draw a clear close to the outside when it is dark out. Have your children’s toys all remain in one area, as messy as the child may want it, but contained to one area.
With a little spacial boundaries in your space, your feelings and thoughts of safety and security will begin to bloom.