Giving Space To Others And To Yourself

Giving space is an art  that enriches those around us. It is a way for us to respect others and give them the opportunity to develop.

When other people do not respect your place and your needs, it is you who will have to distance yourself.

It does not mean that you are delicate or that you are a coward. It just means that you know yourself well enough to know when someone is invading your private space and the places in your mind where you store dreams, needs and values. When that happens, they attack your identity and your self-esteem.

Giving space and taking space is difficult. But it is an important ability to practice.

Giving space promotes personal development

Giving space is, of course, meant here in a figurative sense. While physical distance is sometimes important as well, it is the mental free space that really makes a big difference.

Giving space means

• to let others have their own voice and opinion, let them defend their own values and let them have your respect anyway.
• to contribute to both your own and others’ self-development. When people give each other space, they give each other a free space where they can explore themselves without fear of others’ interference or condemnation.

Space is important in all types of conditions. Sometimes it is precisely the personal space that makes the relationship continue to develop in a positive direction.

Space for the family and for privacy

Raising your children does not mean controlling them or keeping an eye on every step and decision they make. Every child has their own personality, dreams and hopes that we all need to respect.

• If you try to shape them, “exactly as you want them to be”, you will completely violate their personal space as well as their personal and emotional development. That is not correct.
• Families should be able to enjoy a common space where they can talk and give good advice, but then each member should have the right to his / her own values ​​and to achieve their own dreams.

Room for the couple and for the individual

Being a couple means that you create a common space where you never stop being yourself. All couples need to learn to strike a balance between giving each other space and being involved in each other’s hopes and dreams. Only those couples who successfully achieve this balance will have a satisfying and lasting relationship.

• A couple’s space is a place where you share future projects that strengthen the bond between each other and highlight the values ​​that bring the two parties together and provide space to find agreements.
• But at the same time, both people in the relationship should have his / her personal space where he / she can continue to grow as a person with work projects, friendships and goals. This should never be attacked or destroyed by the relationship.

If my personal space is violated, I will defend it

Imagine that there were several invisible walls around you that were made to protect you. You are inside them with everything that defines you and makes you happy.

• Your values.
• Your dreams.
• Your victories.
• Your experiences and what you have learned from them.
• Your self-esteem.
• Your personal image that you have of yourself and that you are happy with.
• Your important relationships with people you love and who are important to you.

Now imagine that your partner or friend from work or a brother or sister begins to cross these walls and attack each and every one of your treasures that you hide inside you and that define you: they criticize your values ​​and your body, and they ridicule the type of friends you have.

So what exactly will happen? They violate your personal space and therefore you have to defend yourself. Let us explain how.

Ways to defend one’s personal space

• Make it clear that no one has the right to violate your boundaries. This is something others need to know from the start. If you keep your mouth shut today, tomorrow, and yesterday, others will end up violating your boundaries too quickly, and it will ruin your self-esteem.

• If others violate your personal space, give “space” between you. Stay away from what is destructive. If you do not, you will slowly lose yourself.
• Giving space and taking distance is never cowardly. In fact, it is just the opposite.

Individuals who are able to walk away from the things that destroyed them exhibit wisdom and courage that only individuals who are able to defend themselves possess. It is a way of taking care of one’s self esteem.

We recommend that you practice it today. Defend your personal space, and respect others as well.