Speak Out and Increase Your Self-worth
Have you ever wished that you had the CONFIDENCE TO SPEAK OUT
about something you disapprove of or disagree with? Maybe you'd
like to tell your boss that there's a better way to do
something, or that you don't like being treated in a certain
way. Maybe you're sick of people taking you for granted, or
hurting your feelings without even caring to assess the damage
they're doing to your self-esteem.
If you struggle to speak out, it's probably for one or more of
these reasons:
- You're afraid that people may like you less if you say
something they find controversial or disagreeable
- You're afraid that someone, whom you perceive to be more
powerful than you, may try to take revenge on you if you dare to
speak out and challenge his or her behaviour
- You're afraid that someone smarter than you will point out the
errors in your argument and make you look foolish
But, even if you can relate to all three reasons, ask yourself
this: is suffering in silence really more satisfying than
speaking out and dealing with the consequences?
When you choose silence, there's a voice inside your head that
judges you. And, no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to
shut it up, can you? It's your own chatterbox, and it tells you
"you are powerless and weak. Your opinions are worth far less
than other people's. I don't think you deserve to like yourself
very much today."
Do YOU have a chatterbox inside your head that drives you mad?
Each day that you choose to stay silent, the voice becomes more
smug. Your self-esteem drifts downwards as if falling into a
deep, dark hole. You start to lose belief that you will ever be
able to climb out again, to hold your head up high in the
sunshine to fill you with warmth and the joy of living.
Of course, none of us can expect to feel as if the sun is
shining on us every day, but hiding your thoughts from the world
is one of the surest ways to guarantee a pretty dull life.
So from now on, whenever you have something you want to say,
whether it's to your friends, your colleagues, family members,
or a group of strangers, remember these four powerful and
foolproof steps. They will almost guarantee that you get your
point across effectively.
1. straighten out your thoughts
Wherever possible, think through what you want to say in
advance. That way you stand far less chance of tripping yourself
up with logical inconsistencies. And, the best way to get your
thoughts straight is to WRITE THEM DOWN!
2. stabilise your emotions
Get control of your emotions - one of the easiest ways to get
your opinions ignored is to express them with either too much or
too little "heat". Acting too apologetically or sheepishly,
raising your voice, crying, or becoming too upset will seldom
(if ever) help your cause.
3. strengthen your motivation
Make yourself a commitment, before you speak out about
something, that the ONLY thing that will cause you to concede is
if the audience to whom you are talking provides you with new
and sound evidence to show that you are in fact wrong!
4. JUST speak out!
Yes, all that