Do you often feel overwhelmed because other people don’t respect your time? You may be a bit of a push over. That’s okay, everyone can be, however it’s important to stand up for yourself if you feel unheard or unappreciated. Being assertive and being rude are two different things. People often mistake being assertive for being rude, but this is not the case. Assertiveness, when done correctly, can be very beneficial to your mental health and your relationships, as it allows you to voice your concerns without being “bossy”.

Being assertive can be as simple as asking somebody to step out of the way or telling the waiter if your order is wrong at a restaurant. When being assertive, it’s important to keep your tone and your body language in mind, especially when you are talking to someone you care about. It’s important to keep yourself safe and happy without harming others. Most people avoid confrontation, but it doesn’t have to be unpleasant. A simple conversation about the matter at hand in person can often lead to resolution. Over text, we tend to come off differently than we would normally.

It is important to keep your personal well-being in mind. It’s also okay to say no to prevent overbooking yourself. People often struggle with saying no because they assume the other person will perceive it as rude, however it often ends with us being too overwhelmed to enjoy whatever we agreed to do. Always be kind, but remember that other people should be kind to you too.