Being assertive is not the same as being aggressive. A lot of people get the terms confused. Being aggressive usually involves anger, rudeness or trying to trample over someone else’s rights to get your way. Assertiveness, on the other hand, means expressing your feelings and claiming your rights in a non-threatening manner. When you learn to be assertive, you’re able to recognize what you want and then make those desires known to others. But you can explain your needs and feelings in a way the other person can accept or at least understand.
Learning to be assertive is actually a treatment for anxiety. When you don’t know how to be assertive, the consequences can be severe over time. For example, you get stuck in a relationship that you know isn’t working. Or you never express your opinions.
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In my case, I was always getting stuck doing things I really didn’t want to do. So I started feeling intense resentment I never had an opportunity to enjoy my favorite things in life. Resentment builds over time and manifests itself as anxiety or even depression.
