This post contains some of the best assertiveness quotes.
Assertiveness Quotes
1. “..there are specific skills that you can develop and practice that are key to creating healthier relationships. And it begins with assertiveness.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
2. “Assertiveness is generally defined as a way of communicating that is clear, confident, and self-assured. It enables you to express your thoughts, feelings, needs, and wants without infringing on the rights of others.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
3. “Assertiveness skills help you articulate your unique sense of self while maintaining your connection with others and allowing them to have an experience that is different from yours.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
4. “At its core, assertiveness is about the courage to express difference.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
5. “Because assertiveness is an expression of difference (there’s no real need to be assertive if our thoughts and feelings are in perfect unison with someone else, right?), it is common for women to fear that these differences will create problems or distance in the relationship.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
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6. “Assertiveness is clearly a loaded word that has different shades of meaning.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
7. “Assertiveness comes from a place of emotional awareness but not emotional volatility.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
8. “Keep in mind that assertiveness skills aren’t about pleasing other people or about elevating yourself above others. Assertiveness is about treating yourself as an equal with others and taking owner-ship of your well-being while respecting others’ differences.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
9. “Another societal barrier that creates difficulty for women to be authentic and assertive in relationships is the cultural norm of measuring our self-worth based on where we stand, or rank, in comparison to others.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
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Personal Bill of Right
10. “…assertiveness is not being rude or pushy; it’s the ability to both recognize your relationship patterns and identify and manage your emotions so you can take a stand for yourself or others.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
11. “Assertiveness also includes being willing to use congruent body language to back up your words with actions when words are not enough.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
12. “The ability to be assertive—to clearly and confidently express your feelings, thoughts, needs, and wants even when they differ greatly from others who are important to you—is essentially an expression of differentiation.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
13. “Assertiveness is a way that you express difference while remaining connected.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
14. “Some of the challenges to assertiveness for a woman who has an avoidant attachment style are difficulty acknowledging and identifying emotions, a reluctance to trust that others will be responsive if she speaks up, and the belief that it’s better to simply “let things go” rather than to address feelings and needs.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
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15. “In addition to sharing our feelings, assertiveness also includes being aware of and expressing our thoughts, our needs, and our wants to others. In our lived experience, feelings, thoughts, needs, and wants are interconnected and inform each other.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
16. “What does self-compassion have to do with assertiveness? The practice of self-compassion allows you to be aware, to tune in, to be mindful of your experiences, and to provide comfort and self-nurturing when you need it. That is, to think and act in comforting and compassionate ways toward yourself.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
17. “Communication is assertiveness in action. How do you use your words, body language, tone, and other nonverbal cues to share your emotions, needs, and desires to others?” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
18. “Central to the conversation of assertiveness is the concept of boundaries. Boundaries are like the membrane of a cell. The membrane differentiates the cell as a self-contained unit and also mediates what comes into the cell and what is expelled.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
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19. “Although assertiveness isn’t always calm or “Zen,” the emotional intensity that accompanies certain situations comes from an intentional place, not a reactive place.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
20. “Too often assertiveness is mistaken for getting so fed up that you blow up. That is not assertiveness. Assertiveness is intentional, even when it’s emotionally intense.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
21. “Part of healthy assertiveness is the ability to speak up and stand up without silencing or disregarding someone else or violating his or her rights.” – Julie De Azevedo Hanks
References
- Portions of this article were adapted from the book The Assertiveness Guide For Women, © 2016 by Julie De Azevedo Hanks. All rights reserved.
