Every single day we make choices. We choose how we feel, act, and, more importantly, react to the situations in front of us. We assert our ideas, decide when not to speak our minds, and go with the flow for an easy life.
The problem with living an ‘easy life’ is that, realistically, you would prefer to meander through life being taken for granted rather than speak up and potentially cause a fuss. Here’s the thing: sometimes you need to make a scene!
Life can’t always be packed into tidy little boxes. Life is supposed to be something that you live in a way that makes sense for you, not something that you allow to stress you out, stamp on your self-worth and play on your insecurities.
One of the most potent ways you can make your life feel alive is by standing up for the things you believe in. Learning to fight the battle sometimes instead of walking away can improve your personality, self-esteem, and confidence.
Sometimes, this means standing up to the big grocery stores when your food is defective and checking out how you can do this on personal injuries and sometimes, this means asking for a pay rise in the place you work when you haven’t had one for ten years.
Becoming more confident and sure of yourself isn’t easy, though, so here are five ways to stand up for yourself and burst into a new way of vibrant living.
Express Yourself
Honesty is essential; if you’re holding in all the things you want to say, you’re not being honest.
Start speaking your mind and expressing how you feel about a change. Instead of saying, ‘I’m fine”, start standing up for your feelings. The liberation you will feel will transform your life.
Walk Tall
Often, those who aren’t particularly confident don’t look it. They hide by hunching their shoulders and curling away from the world while they walk.
Shoulders back, chin up and start to walk confidently. If you feel confident, fake it until you do.
Stay Calm
When you start to speak out, you’re going to find the more prominent personalities out there find this an attack. It’s not, but they’re so used to getting their way that you need to stay calm, stand your ground, and not back down. Wait them out.
Be Deliberate
Let’s not be 14 in the school playground; no passive-aggressive behaviour is necessary when standing up for yourself. Be deliberate with your words and not vague. If something is bothering you, speak up and say so in a transparent manner.
Say “No”
Your time is an extremely precious commodity. When people ask you for more of it than you have to give, learn to say” “no”. Of course, you don’t have to be rude, but you do need to be firm in that your time matters, too.
