From time to time, I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘don’t draw lines in the sand.’ It is that line you don’t want people to cross over — or, else. The ‘Or, Else’ is whatever you will do to them if they step over that line.
This phrase is all about not having boundaries, or limitations on how much you give/share with others. Or, of not limiting your engagement/interaction with those folks around you for whom you may not have that warm-fuzzy feeling. 🙂
In essence, it is a call to action for you to by-pass/ignore your innate desire to stay away from that exact thing the person is calling you out on; asking you not to have lines in the sand for.
I ask you, What’s wrong with lines in the sand?
Depending upon the specific situation, lines in the sand are those rules we decided to erect to protect ourselves from:
- social predators,
- people who may not have our best interests in mind,
- those who are not our true friends,
- bad/evil people
We created lines in the sand so that we have a knee-jerk response to things that will ultimately not be good for us.
So, we must think hard when someone asks us to move our line in the sand for them. Why are they asking? Is it something we need to review because we’ve reached a plateau in our lives and we need to grow? Is it because we’re being short-sighted and not looking at the full picture in that situation?
Or, is it because they want to try and get us to do something that they want to do but you don’t? Is it because they have a need and they want to have access to your resources/talents/gifts in order to make that thing happen for themselves?
Given the touchiness of this subject, you may need to speak this over with a known trusted friend/family member who knows you well. Allow that trusted person to help you figure out what this person’s motivation is for asking you to change a key rule you set up for yourself.
You know what Malcolm X said, If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
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