The funny thing with boundaries and relationships, is you don’t know where the boundary is until someone’s crossed it.

Like in this case with someone being nervy about getting you to make copies for them, you didn’t know that bothered you until they repeatedly did it. To you, it was more about them repeatedly manipulating you that caused you to draw the boundary.

I had a life-long, thought-was-a-friend. The final conflict was about boundaries. I told her she must treat me with respect by backing off her ‘attacks’ on me when I say I am not engaging with her. She could not fathom abiding by these wishes of mine, and unapologetically expressed this. It’s like she couldn’t separate where she ended and I began as a being. But I am not talking about very ‘healthy’ persons here.

She had blown through all other boundaries I had tried to enforce, and I relented by allowing her, by continuing to be her friend. I draw a line/ she crosses it. I back up and draw another line/ she crosses it. And so on until it was just too unbearable. There’s your true boundary!

When you do hold tight, enforcing a boundary...boy do people push back...boy do they get mad...especially when you have already done the behavior that you are now refusing to no longer do. So proceed with caution, folks.

Making copies shouldn’t be too bad an issue to have to deal with. Be strong.