It’s surely a given that as a sassy lady you can be assertive when you need to be, and you would probably say you don’t let anyone walk all over you. Assertiveness is an essential skill in life, because without it you wouldn’t be able to stand up for your rights or face up to injustice. Assertiveness is a lot like confidence; it’s a valuable asset but it can become a trait that alienates people if it goes too far. When confidence strays into arrogance, you lose people’s respect, and the same is true if you start becoming too forthright when asserting yourself. They key is to find the right balance.
The importance of being assertive
What does it really mean to be assertive? A lot of it is having the confidence and self-respect to say no, and to put yourself first. Many people find this hard, and in an effort to please others will put themselves out and always agree to help, when it makes them tired and short of time or money for themselves. Having the courage to say no when it is in your best interests to do so is an important way of caring for your own well-being. Having sufficient self-respect to defend yourself and be able to fight for your rights means you won’t let yourself be downtrodden or bullied into accepting less than you deserve. These attributes allow you to have control of your life and make the decisions that are best for you.
Assertiveness in action
A large part of using assertiveness appropriately is about knowing what you are entitled to. It can be a very simple thing like returning a faulty item to the store where you bought it for a refund. Providing you know exactly what your consumer rights are, you will be in a good position to assert your case that you require a full refund on your purchase. If the store offers you a credit note or an exchange and that’s not really what you want, you’ll be able to insist on getting your money back. If you are involved in a car accident, you exchange details with the other driver and let the insurance take care of the fallout. But if it wasn’t your fault the accident happened, to minimize the detrimental effects, you need to assert your right to get compensation by contacting a specialist law firm like https://www.laventlaw.com/car-accidents/.
Finding the balance
Being assertive is a valuable skill to have, and you will be respected and admired for being able to stand up for yourself. What’s not so appealing is when people go too far, and become entitled and aggressive. Believing you are right despite evidence to the contrary and feeling you should receive special treatment; shouting, using threatening language, being abusive, refusing to listen to reason – these are not anything to do with being assertive, and you will do yourself no favors if you adopt these kinds of tactics.
Know your rights, respect yourself, and communicate your position confidently but quietly. These are the fundamentals of assertiveness, and when used judiciously will enhance your life and your self-esteem.