Become assertive by liking yourself more
If you are wanting to develop more assertiveness in your life, then one of the best ways is to work on building a healthy self-esteem
Self-esteem refers to how you feel about yourself. A positive sense of self-esteem means you like who you are and that you feel a sense of worth and value within yourself.
When you feel this way, it is much more likely that you will be able to behave in an assertive manner and speak up to express your opinion. As a person of worth, you respect yourself and therefore expect to be treated by others with the same respect that you show to them.
A healthy self-esteem means that you will not feel anxious about voicing an opinion that is different to other people, You are able to assertively and comfortably work through any differences that may arise with the people around you. You do not feel any need to appease them, nor do you unduly worry about what they may think of you – because you feel no doubt abouts being your own person.
So what are some ways that you can build a stronger foundation of self-esteem so as to help develop more assertiveness? Here’s some tips …..
- Remind yourself of your achievements ….. this will help you to also remember the skills and qualities that you possess, that contributed to those achievements
- Regularly set some small goals for yourself …… achieving these help to provide you with a sense of satisfaction and serve to cultivate more self-belief in your abilities
- Surround yourself with positive people that encourage you- Avoid those people who are unduly harsh and critical towards you. Why choose to be around people who pull you down?
- Try to find opportunities to give compliments to others – not only will it help them feel good about themselves, you in return will also feel good. Similarly – if others compliment you, then be gracious and make sure that you are accepting of itit rather being dismissive
Cultivating a healthy sense of self-esteem within yourself will enable you to more confidently speak up and stand up for yourself when it is warranted. You will start to find that assertiveness becomes a perfectly natural way to live your life and manage your relationship.
You might also be interested in our Assertiveness e-workbook – which could be a useful resource for guiding you on your journey of self-discovery and change ($4.70)
The following video explores some ideas around self-esteem and assertiveness …
Check out our page Assertiveness Tips – or return to Personal Development for other ideas and inspiration on self-improvement