BEING ASSERTIVE

Is being good bad? It is impossible for me to relate being good as something negative. So why do I feel so tired? I know, I am not being assertive, helping others makes me feel good, but the problem is that I don't know how to set boundaries. Does that make me weak? I don't think so. I am not an expert, but I can defend myself, my ideas, my feelings, without hurting others. Taking some time to reflect on what is important to you and what you need in your relationships and personal life. Understanding your own values and priorities will help you define clear boundaries. In this Blog entry; first, I will explain what is assertiveness; then, I will tell you my experience learning to be assertive; and finally, I will share with you why it is important to say no. Professionals define assertiveness as an essential aspect of effective interpersonal communication, as it allows individuals to express their desires, make requests, set boundaries, and defend their rights in a clear and respectful manner. For me it is something more complicated than that. It is getting to know each other; it is knowing who we want to become in order to accept ourselves. It also implies defending who we are and setting boundaries that make us feel safe. And/It also means allowing us to give ourselves the place we deserve, communicating in a way respectful without being offensive. Learning to be assertive has led me down many paths, to believe that I am not brave enough to defend the person that I am, but it has also made me feel more secure, showing that I am capable of doing everything that I have set out to do. During my adolescence the most difficult thing was to set limits, my parents have always taught me to help others no matter what and without expecting anything in return. But doing so sometimes made it difficult for me to solve my problems by focusing on the problems of others. By helping others I forgot about myself and how important I am. Being assertive is something that I have had to put into practice every day. Saying no is such a small word but at the same time, so hard to say. It allows us to set our own boundaries by protecting ourselves. Since I was a child, my desire not to disappoint others has made it difficult for me to say no. Over time I realized that people take advantage of us if we don't set limits. I have a classmate at the university who is a good friend but many times we have to do homework together and he works. He sometimes can't do homework because of the time so I decided to do his homework. But over time I started to feel more tired, sometimes I didn't have time left, between my English classes and the university. I did not have time for myself. Because after my English classes, I have to go to the university, I come back each day and I have to do homework. When I started to say no, the feeling of guilt took over me. But the process of being able to set my own limits is getting better. Overall it is important to approach assertiveness with empathy and consideration for others. By learning to say "no" when necessary, I have learned to create healthier boundaries, prioritize self-care, and foster more fulfilling relationships.