{"id":1905,"date":"2015-10-20T03:06:18","date_gmt":"2015-10-20T03:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.yourdost.com\/?p=1905"},"modified":"2015-10-20T03:06:18","modified_gmt":"2015-10-20T03:06:18","slug":"how-to-be-assertive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/2015\/10\/how-to-be-assertive.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Be Assertive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Contrary to popular belief, \u2018Assertiveness<\/strong>\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean being rude to others or unnecessarily shoving your opinions in someone\u2019s face. Being assertive is a core communication skill. It signifies that you can express yourself effectively and stand up for your beliefs, while also protecting the rights and beliefs of others.<\/p>\n

How Can It Help Me<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Knowing how to be assertive can boost your self-esteem and also earn you the respect of the people around you. This can help with stress management, especially if you tend to take on too many responsibilities because you have a hard time saying no to favours or requests. Some people tend to be naturally assertive but not most are this fortunate. If you\u2019re not one of the naturals, even then you can learn to be assertive and how to express yourself without coming across as a \u2018jerk<\/strong>\u2019.<\/p>\n

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  • Be Clear<\/strong> \u2013 It can be easy to put the blame on others, even when you don\u2019t necessarily mean to. Using the word \u2018you\u2019 when making your point, tends to come off as accusatory. To prevent this, use \u2018I\u2019 statements. For example, use \u201cI disagree.\u201d instead of \u201cYou\u2019re wrong.\u201d It\u2019s better to build bridges than to burn them down.<\/li>\n
  • Learn To Say \u201cNo\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 The most common problem that unassertive people have is the inability to say \u201cNo\u201d to others. This can result in accumulating an unnecessary burden of work which impedes on your own tasks. Practice saying no to others graciously. Try saying, \u201cNo, I can\u2019t do that now.\u201d Don\u2019t hesitate \u2013 be direct. If an explanation is appropriate, keep it brief.<\/li>\n
  • Choose Your Battles<\/strong> \u2013 Just because you know how to be assertive doesn\u2019t mean you need to stand your ground over absolutely everything. Keep the outright \u201cno\u201d in reserve for the things you really can\u2019t stand doing. Know what your limits are and don\u2019t be afraid to state them \u2013 it\u2019ll make everyone much happier in the end.<\/li>\n
  • Let Go Of The Guilt<\/strong> \u2013 Being assertive can be unnerving, especially if you\u2019ve been a people pleaser your whole life. But remember that being assertive is vital to your well-being. Whenever you feel guilty, take deep breathes and soothe your nerves. Breathe in what you need \u2013 peace, strength, serenity \u2013 and breathe out feelings of guilt, anxiety or shame.<\/li>\n
  • Express Yourself<\/strong> \u2013 Don\u2019t assume that someone will automatically know what you need. You have to tell them. Again, be specific, clear, honest and respectful. Making assumptions never works out well for anyone!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    When To Apply<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Assertiveness isn\u2019t going to solve all your problems and it\u2019s not appropriate for every situation \u2013 context is key. What it will do, is help you feel more confident and communicate more effectively when you need to. Expressing your true self and sticking up for your rights is empowering and it\u2019s something that the majority of us, should do a lot more.<\/p>\n

    Being assertive is a skill that needs practice. Remember that you will sometimes do better at it than at other times, but you can always learn from your mistakes.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Contrary to popular belief, \u2018Assertiveness\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean being rude to others or unnecessarily shoving your opinions in someone\u2019s face. Being assertive is a core communication skill. It signifies that you can express yourself effectively and stand up for your beliefs, while also protecting the rights and beliefs of others. How Can It Help Me Knowing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-confidence","category-self-growth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1905"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1905\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yourdost.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}