Journal Reflection On Challenging Assumptions

Journal Reflection 4 Challenging Assumptions Chapter 8, Question 1 I believe that it can be assumed that the assertive response is usually the best. Assertiveness is a skill that I wish I knew how to utilize more effectively. However, many people confuse being honest and straightforward, assertiveness, with being rude. I think that the aspects that encompass an assertive response can be useful in most everyday communication situations. An assertive response “demonstrates that you have listened to and considered the other person’s viewpoint, have the satisfaction of knowing that you expressed yourself clearly and honestly, and allows the other person to maintain his or her self-respect” (Brownell 266). The textbook also states that assertiveness is “best understood in contrast to aggressive and …show more content…
Some assertive skills stated in the textbook are “Saying no when you want to, receiving criticism, giving criticism, expressing feelings, terminating conversations, not allowing others to give you their problems, expressing ideas concisely, giving others compliments, standing up for unpopular opinions, stating personal needs, initiating conversations, and demonstrating appropriate nonverbal behaviors” (Brownell 268). I think that improving these skills will help me in stressful situations, as well as help other individuals who struggle with these skills. Specific skills I would like to improve upon are “saying no when you want to” and “receiving criticism”. I struggle with saying no, wanting to appease people, and accepting other people’s problems as my own. For instance, if someone asks me to do something I feel bad for saying no, even if I do not have time to do it. Consequently, I end up disappointing the person and seeming unreliable when I do this. If I was more assertive, I could avoid awkward situations like this, which is why I wish it was more socially acceptable to be