Workshop: Crossing Boundaries

Comfort zones are sacred spaces in any home—places of predictability, control, and emotional rest. Growing up, comfort was important to everyone, and in my home, there was little tolerance for inconvenience, even in the smallest of ways. The expectation was to avoid anything that felt like discomfort or wasted time. But for me, comfort wasn’t a physical space—it was an internal battleground shaped by trauma bonds and emotional manipulation.

There was someone close to me—older, significant, and deeply intertwined in my life. I was loyal to our sisterhood and consistently showed up for her, regardless of time or distance. I loved her kids like my own. But that love, I came to realize, wasn’t welcome. I began to notice subtle shifts—unspoken bitterness, awkward energy, the kind of silent competition that creeps in when you least expect it. Especially when the news was good. And I hate that kind of energy. I’ve always craved peace, fairness, boundaries, and mutual respect. But people mistake that for neediness, or a desire to submit to others for the sake of acceptance.

I didn’t see it for what it was until later—how she slowly used her influence to manipulate my children in small, casual ways, leading them to question me. She let the current of trends and “normal” override the quiet, intentional foundation I had worked so hard to build. It broke me slowly. Not out of bitterness, but out of heartbreak that someone I trusted could work so hard to unravel what I had sewn with love.

She moved closer, and with that, my comfort zone began to feel unsafe again. Not because of proximity—but because my home, my children, my vision as a mother, were not respected. And that matters more than anything. Because I honored hers too much for comfort. 

This isn’t about resentment. It’s about truth. It’s about honoring the woman and mother I’ve always been. This is an example of how easy it is for us to let the closest people  Cross the line. Boundaries are a mercy. Loyalty is sacred. And trust should be protected.

“Alhamdulillah, the One who did not let my heart go blind and made His presence a guide and light in my life.”