How Being A Minimalist Can Help You Set Boundaries & Improve Relationships

Just as you haven’t had the same property line your entire life, you’re not going to maintain the same boundaries as your relationships change and grow. Plus, your boundaries will become more specific as you communicate them with others.

Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D., the author of Nonviolent Communication, believes that “much of how we communicate—judging others, bullying, having racial bias, blaming, finger-pointing, discriminating, speaking without listening, criticizing others or ourselves, name-calling, reacting when angry, using political rhetoric, being defensive or judging who’s ‘good/bad’ or what’s ‘right/wrong’ with people”—could be classified as “violent communication.” Instead of communicating through these means, Rosenberg recommends a four-step process of “nonviolent communication” that includes our observations, feelings, needs, and requests: