What is assertiveness? How does one acquire this trait? Simply put, assertiveness means “to assert.” In the world of therapy and psychology, it’s a skill that is learned and sometimes a very passive mode of communication. Assertiveness, like all other good traits we have as people, can be developed and improved upon.
One of the greatest benefits of having assertiveness as a personality trait is that it can help you to better communicate. Being confident in how you communicate not only helps you communicate your thoughts more clearly, but it also has positive effects on your behavior. When you are more assertive, you’ll find that you enjoy participating in conversation and leaving feelings and thoughts on the table. This can have a significant positive effect on both your work performance as well as your social life. It can help you express your feelings in constructive ways and gain the needed balance in your life.
It doesn’t matter if you’re feeling under stress, anxious about meeting new people or even just having a lousy day at work, learning how to communicate assertively can have a huge impact on your mental state. By having a better ability to communicate your thoughts and ideas in a clear and confident manner, you will find that it becomes easier to handle difficult situations. It can positively influence your performance at work as well. If you’re not assertive when communicating with others, you might not recognize their needs and be unable to help them out when the situation calls for it.
Your relationships at work and at home can be significantly improved by learning an assertive style. If you are feeling uncomfortable about expressing your feelings to family members or friends, it can make it more difficult for you to open up and express what you need to, which can negatively impact those feelings and create anxiety about meeting new people. Instead of feeling embarrassed or ashamed, try to approach social situations with an assertive style, and soon you’ll find that people will feel more at ease around you.
In addition to learning how to communicate feelings and handle difficult situations, you can learn how to do it assertively from podcasts available on the internet. There are several helpful podcasts that focus on improving social skills and communication. Each one of them has thousands of subscribers, so there is no shortage of learning and helpful information to help you be more assertive without ever leaving the comfort of your home. These podcasts can provide you with tips and techniques for using assertive language when speaking with others, as well as helpful exercises to practice your new skills. Whether you want to use the tips and techniques during a stressful conversation, or simply to improve the way you speak when talking with friends, these podcast episodes provide the guidance and practice needed to master your new assertiveness skills.
Of course, learning how to be more assertive doesn’t mean you have to choose between communicating in a passive style or an aggressive style. In fact, by practicing both types of assertiveness, you may find yourself actually preferring the latter. By using your passive style of communication, you will learn how to effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas to other people. However, by using the aggressive style in conversations, you will gain the ability to communicate your opinions and make others aware of the message you are trying to convey. By combining your passive and aggressive style of communication, you will learn how to communicate feelings and reach people’s attention while also maintaining clear and honest communication with them.