5 Small Ways to Practice Assertiveness Every Day
When people hear the word “assertiveness,” they often picture confrontation. While assertiveness can involve conflict or difficult conversations, on a day-to-day basis, it is often much quieter and less dramatic than people imagine. For many of us, assertiveness does not come naturally. If you grew up feeling responsible for other people’s emotions, experienced criticism or conflict when expressing yourself, or learned that being “easygoing” kept you safe and accepted, speaking up can feel uncomfortable or even frightening. The good news is that assertiveness is a skill, and like any skill, it can be practiced in small, everyday moments. Express Your Preferences Many people are used to automatically saying “I don’t care” when asked what they want. Practicing assertiveness can start with something as simple as expressing a genuine preference. Examples:…
