Assertiveness Tips: How To Be Assertive And Take Charge Of Your Life
By Michael Lee

A lot of us have been raised to believe that voicing out our opinions and asking questions are no-nos in society. We couldn't have been more misled. Unless you pick up a few assertiveness tips in life, you'll never be able to challenge yourself and move up the career ladder. The same principle applies to your personal life as well.

Learning assertiveness tips and techniques helps us become more confident. It makes us feel good about ourselves which automatically translates to better work performance! If you're ready to take the plunge, read on!

Assertiveness Tip # 1: Seeing Eye to Eye

Becoming assertive does not mean you have to agree with what your boss or what your colleagues are saying. Becoming assertive means showing your support or voicing out your concern whenever the situation calls for it.

Start by looking a person in the eye. It might be difficult to hold your superior's gaze, but being able to do so shows sincerity and genuine interest. Looking a person straight in the eye tells them that you're here and that you're not going anywhere. Take heed of this assertiveness technique and you'll be remembered.

Assertiveness Tip # 2: The Presence of "I"

The word "I" holds great power. It means you're taking responsibility for whatever "I" says, does or thinks. Using "I" to express yourself shows that you're not the type to hide behind other people's successes. You're not a shadow. You're your own person.

Instead of saying "This situation seems to have taken a turn for the worse," say, "I feel that this situation has taken a turn for the worse." The change is subtle but the effect is profound. And it won't take such a toll on you.

Assertiveness Tip # 3: Be Active

There are two kinds of sentences: the active and the passive. An active sentence reads like this: I want to make things happen! Meanwhile, a passive sentence is like this: I want things to happen to me. Which one do you think is more effective when it comes to taking charge of your own life?

Naturally, the active sentence has more impact. Try to use active sentences on a daily basis. You'll soon find that being active in words eventually helps you become active in actions as well.

Everyone needs to learn a few assertiveness tips here and there. Why don't you observe some of your more successful friends or co-workers? More often than not, these people are all assertive. They don't allow things to just happen to them. Instead, they take hold of the wheel and steer themselves to wherever they want to go.