What Is Assertiveness?

Lack of assertiveness can be a problem for people who are depressed or anxious. Depression can keep us from being assertive, and then we feel even more depressed and down on ourselves because we weren’t assertive. It’s a vicious cycle!

I work with my clients a lot on assertiveness, and they might tell you that I sometimes get a little too excited while talking about it. I guess the reason I’m so enthusiastic is that I had to learn it for myself before I could teach it to others.

So what is assertiveness?

· It is a way of saying “no” and setting other healthy boundaries without feeling guilty.

· It is an important component of self-care.

· It is a skillful way of communicating.

· It takes practice to get good at it.

· It shows respect for ourselves but also for the other person.

And here are some things that assertiveness is not--

· It is not always saying no.

· It is not being a bully or uncooperative all the time.

· It doesn’t involve never giving in.

· It is not trying to control the other person, it is controlling only ourselves including what we say and do.

If you’d like to learn more about applying assertiveness in your life, call or text me at 405.517.4442.