So as humans every single thing we do involves communicating with others so whether it’s work, school or family affairs we are constantly interacting other people. Hence, the way we assert ourselves could mean the difference between people perceiving us with respect or being seen as a push over.
Let me tell you what I mean, being understanding, compassionate and forgiving with people in and of themselves are good things because they speak to the kind of person you are. However, as much as these personality traits could help form healthy relationships with people. Unfortunately, they could also attract the wrong type of people.
-People who ask for endless favors because they you can’t say no
-People who ask for money and never return it
-People who make promises but never keep their words
-In general, the kind of people you could simply categorize as opportunists.
Now I can tell you from personal experience that, dealing with such type people could be extremely frustrating and really mess with your head so you should learn how to draw your boundaries
One way to do this is by clearly communicating what you want, when you it and how you want it followed with (this is a very important) followed with what you’re going to do otherwise. This helps people understand there is a sense of accountability involved and they won’t feel like walking all over you.
Now when I say this, obviously you don’t have to be rigid or standoffish to people, you still want to be approachable and easy to talk to but you should also develop the habit of being assertive as it can definitely save you from lots of headaches in the long run.