Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be

by Becky Kennedy

“I am the only person in my body. I am the only person who knows what I want and what I am ready for and what feels right to me.” Let’s continue: “I am in charge of my body. I am in charge of my body boundaries. I am in charge of who touches me, for how long, and at what times. I can like something one day and not want it another day. I can be comfortable touching some people and not others. I am the only person who can make these decisions.” And one more: “There will be times when I assert myself based on what feels right to me and other people won’t like it. They will push back. They will talk about what they want from me instead of honoring what I’m telling them feels comfortable to me. It’s not my job to make other people happy. Their discomfort is a feeling in their body, and it’s not my fault or my responsibility to make this feeling go away.”