Boundaries, They're Beautiful

Friendly Reminder: Respecting Boundaries Means Respecting “No Contact”.

Being blocked by someone is a boundary. It’s not a puzzle to solve, and it’s not an invitation to try again from a different angle.

If someone has chosen to block you, that is a clear signal that they do not want further communication. Using an alternate account, a different platform, or any indirect method to re-establish contact doesn’t change that. It only crosses the boundary that was already set.

As small business owners, whether it’s Brian running Forest City Tropicals or me with Forest City Rats, there’s a very real human side to what we do. These aren’t faceless brands. They’re personal, hands-on, and built around time, care, and a lot of emotional investment. Sometimes that also means making decisions to protect our peace and our ability to keep showing up for the people who do respect those boundaries. When the block button is used, that decision has already been made, and we won’t engage further beyond that point.

Understand that we’ve seen it all: no-shows, requests for discounts, people asking for special favours, people who don’t pay right away or in full, late arrivals, and people who demand far more personalized time than what any small operation can realistically provide. Over time, you learn where your energy is best spent, and just as importantly, where it isn’t.

It’s important to understand that respect isn’t just about how you speak to someone when you are in contact with them. It also shows in how you respond when contact has been explicitly declined. People are allowed to set limits on access to them, whether that’s personal, professional, or somewhere in between. Those limits don’t require justification to be valid.

If you find yourself blocked, the respectful response is simple: accept it and move on. Continuing to reach out can feel intrusive and can put unnecessary pressure on the other person, even if your intentions are neutral or well-meaning.

Healthy communication includes knowing when not to communicate.

Respecting that space is part of basic digital and interpersonal etiquette, and it goes a long way in maintaining trust and professionalism in all kinds of relationships.