Sticking up for yourself is extremely important whether it be asking for a raise at work, defending a politician, standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, a debate on sports, or just simply having a conversation with someone. Being able to actively believe in yourself and your opinions is something people often have trouble with and that's okay! Here are 10 ways to help you or anyone else with that.
1. Have Confidence
Probably one of the hardest and yet the most important to have. Having confidence allows you to look at yourself and be proud of everything you have ever done and allows you to understand that all the mistakes you have ever made are solely to learn from them. Being able to walk out of the house wearing what makes you happy shows confidence, being able to decide for yourself and being fully content with yourself helps prove your confidence.
If you don't have confidence in yourself then who will, right?
2. Listen To What Say
Yes, yes, we know you want to get your point across but first, you must understand that when it's their time to talk you must listen to what they have to say. As annoying and frustrating this might be you have to let the other person explain themselves so they can do the same for you. Nothing stinks more than a debate or conversation where people are constantly interrupting each other.
3. Know Your Facts
Before you jump the gun and give your opinions it's best to know the right facts. Make sure that what you're saying is credible and fully correct. Nothing lowers confidence more than being automatically shot down because what you're saying isn't right. When explaining your side of something make sure you have the right information to back up your response. This can help eliminate any questioning on the credibility of your opinion.
4. Take A Deep Breath And Think
Deep breaths into your nose and out through your mouth help alleviate any anxiety you may have. It clears your mind and helps you organize your thoughts in an effective way. This will then allow you to give a better discussion with less chance of stumbling on words or using nervous ticks like "um" or "uh."
5. Express Yourself
Make sure all of your opinions are heard and do not hold back on anything no matter what. Know that your opinion matters no matter what it is and that you deserve nothing but respect for giving it. Assertiveness in knowing what you want is extremely important for a successful conversation. If you told yourself today's the day you're going to say something then make sure today is that day. Most importantly don't be afraid to disagree or to say no when given an ultimatum that you don't like.
6. Presentation
When being assertive and getting an opinion across sometimes you can get so ahead of yourself that in the moment that you can lose all sense of self-control. Depending on the situation you may need to handle yourself with class or you can curse up a storm and it'll be alright. It's important to be able to choose between these different situations so you can show people how passionate you are about your opinion.
7. Don't Be Afraid Of The Outcome
Rachel can't say it any better and unfortunately, that's life and how it works. Outcomes are not always what we expected and that's okay because it teaches us that next time we can just work harder to get the outcome we hoped for. We can learn from our mistakes and fix them so the next time there will be no mistakes.
8. Believe In Yourself
Listen to the Queen of Dragons because she know's what she's talking about. Know that what you're saying matters and it will to other people too. You have a voice and one voice can change a lot. Know that you have worth, ambitions, and goals that are important to be shared with others. Hey, who knows maybe your voice can change the world!
9. Keep An Open Mind
Understand that not everyone has the same opinions. For example, a few of my friends want Donald Trump as our next president whereas the others want Hilary Clinton. Despite these differences, we're still friends because we can keep an open mind and try to understand politics through their perspectives. Always try to understand something from someone else's point of view because this can further help you in avoiding conflict.
10. Shake It Off
Lastly, shake off the nerves and jump for it! You now know how to successfully push yourself into doing something you believe in. Don't ever settle for less than what you deserve, you've got this! I believe in you, plus what have you got to lose?!
