Boundaries

There’s a moment a lot of men recognize once it’s pointed out: you say something — a plan, a limit, a “no” — and somewhere in the back of your mind you already know it won’t hold. Not because she’s manipulative, but because on some level, you don’t fully believe it yourself. Respect isn’t given because you deserve it in the abstract. It’s built, or eroded, one held or abandoned boundary at a time.

This section is about getting your word to mean something again — starting with knowing what you actually want before you’re in the moment, holding it when it’s tested, and saying it in a way that doesn’t sabotage itself.