Remind yourself why you are being more assertive.
It’s hard to break the habit of being the overly-nice person, especially if you have been that way for your whole life. But, knowing the negative impacts of being too passive will help you to justify being more vocal about your needs. Remind yourself that being assertive doesn’t mean you need to be a bully or that you can’t still be a nice person. In fact, being more assertive makes you a nicer person in the long run by avoiding the bitterness and resentment that passive people tend to carry.
It’s going to feel weird at first, but that is okay.
Contributors: Dr. Sal Raichbach from Ambrosia Treatment Center