Page 49 - Vision Manual

to have options. It’s okay to have friends in the same group, but sometimes we also need to have ways to get support from other groups of people.
 Don’t be afraid to set limits and say no
Healthy relationships are relationships where each person respects each other’s boundaries and limits. A boundary is anything you do to separate yourself from another person by saying no, setting a limit, or otherwise making sure that someone doesn’t violate a value or personal rule. It’s important to be able to say no to people, even if you are afraid to. Saying no will help lead to a respectful relationship where each person knows that they can trust the other person to do what they ask and to keep people from becoming too close.
 Keep things balanced
A healthy relationship is one where both people give into it equally, and take things equally. This means compromising when there are disagreements, making sure to take turns when it’s appropriate, to share, and to be willing to give as well as take. When a relationship gets out of balance it usually means that one person isn’t giving as much as the other, or that one person is taking too much. This can come across as one person putting in “all the work” or paying for things too frequently. When things get out of balance, it’s important to talk it out. If needed, use the skills discussed in the “Assertiveness and Conflict Resolution” section.
Questions: What are some of the limits that you have in friendships or other serious relationships? What helps you feel safe and secure with a person? What do you do to make sure boundaries are followed?
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