NEWSPOT DAILY TONIC: No is a complete sentence. By Bishop Duke Akamisoko

Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others. It is how we create firm boundaries and allow others to know who we are and what we value.
Accept that setting boundaries with other people is not going to make you popular. Once you set a boundary, stand by it. Remain strong in the truth that by setting boundaries against mistreatment, you are aligning with the higher, positive, and loving way of living. Boundaries need to be communicated first verbally and then with actions. Boundaries need to be communicated first verbally and then with actions. Setting emotional boundaries prevent people from manipulating you, using you, and playing with your feelings. Lack of boundaries invites lack of respect. Boundaries represent awareness, knowing what the limits are and then respecting those limits. Boundaries are, in simple terms, the recognition of personal space. Speak in your own voice about the things that matter to you. I’m very clear with my boundaries…I hope I do influence other women to set better boundaries for themselves, Saying NO can be the most empowering word if you struggle with codependency, abusive relationships or low self-esteem.Families living in dysfunction seldom have healthy boundaries. Dysfunctional families have trouble knowing where they stop and others begin. Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept. Be honest with who you are, what you want and how you want to be treated. Boundaries only scare off the people that were not meant to be in your life. Power for me is ‘no.’ That’s when you know your worth, when you know your value. And that’s power for me. Whatever you are willing to put up with is exactly what you will get. There are reasons to set boundaries for yourself, but there are also reasons to keep doors open.
You can be a good person with a kind heart and still say NO to people. Setting boundaries is your responsibility. People will continue to do what you allow. You get to decide what is and what isn’t allowed in your life. You create your mental boundaries, your mental walls, but you can free yourself, and soar high, beyond your beliefs, your thoughts and your mental attachments. If you’re offended by my boundaries, then you’re probably one of the reasons I need them. The only people who get upset about you setting boundaries are the ones who were benefiting from you having none. People who violate your boundaries are thieves. They steal time that doesn’t belong to them. You get what you tolerate. Individuals set boundaries to feel safe, respected, and heard. No one will listen to us until we listen to ourselves. When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated.
Bishop Duke Akamisoko