How Do You Stand Up for Yourself?

Standing up for oneself can be challenging, but it’s essential for personal growth and self-respect. We’ve gathered 11 valuable tips from founders, CEOs, and other professionals to help you navigate this process. From establishing healthy boundaries to harnessing your physical presence, these experts share their insights on how to effectively stand up for yourself.

Establish Healthy Boundaries
Maintain Your Composure
Master Assertive Body Language
Communicate Clearly and Respectfully
Build Confidence Through Practice
Advocate for Your Needs
Approach With Kindness and Calm
Stay Firm in Your Beliefs
Use “I” Statements Confidently
Follow These Self-Help Tips
Harness Your Physical Presence

Establish Healthy Boundaries

One valuable tip I’d be delighted to share with you is the power of setting clear and compassionate boundaries as an act of self-care. By establishing healthy boundaries, you create a nurturing environment that respects your needs and values.

It’s like giving yourself a gentle yet empowering reminder you deserve to be heard and respected. Embrace your worth and confidently communicate your boundaries, keeping in mind that it’s a positive step towards loving yourself.

Diane Howard
Founder, Esthetic Finesse

Maintain Composure

Do your best to stay calm and composed. The more you can practice control, the easier it is to plan responses rather than react on the spot.

Maintaining your composure, even if you feel provoked or upset, will help you appear more credible and in control. Take deep breaths, control your emotions, and express yourself in a clear and measured manner.

Kelli Anderson
Career Coach, Resume Seed

Master Assertive Body Language

With standing up for oneself, one out-of-the-box tip is to harness the power of assertive body language. Research suggests that nonverbal cues account for up to 93% of communication impact.

For instance, imagine a real-life scenario where Sarah, a diligent employee, consistently had her ideas dismissed during team meetings. To assert herself, she consciously practiced open posture, maintained eye contact, and spoke with a confident tone. This simple shift in body language commanded attention and respect, resulting in her ideas of receiving the recognition they deserved.

By mastering assertive body language, individuals can project confidence, command attention, and assert their opinions effectively. Techniques like maintaining good posture, using purposeful gestures, and establishing eye contact can empower individuals to stand up for themselves in various personal and professional situations.

Himanshu Sharma
CEO and Founder, Academy of Digital Marketing

Communicate Clearly and Respectfully

One tip for someone looking to stand up for themselves is to communicate their needs, boundaries, and expectations. This involves expressing oneself clearly and respectfully, without being aggressive or submissive. Start by identifying and understanding what is important to you, whether it’s in a personal or professional setting.

Then, practice active listening to understand the other person’s perspective. Clearly articulate your thoughts, feelings, and desires.

Be confident, maintain good body language, and stay composed, even if faced with resistance. Remember, standing up for yourself is about advocating for your rights and asserting your worth, so don’t be afraid to speak up and assert your boundaries.

Luke Lee
CEO, EverWallpaper

Build Confidence Through Practice

One tip for someone looking to stand up for themselves is to build your confidence with small steps. It’s natural to feel intimidated or fearful when confronting someone who has upset us or when defending our rights in high-stakes situations. However, standing up for yourself is a skill, and like any other skill, it requires practice.

Starting small is a useful strategy to build this skill and grow your confidence. Look for lower-risk situations where you can practice asserting yourself. For instance, if you’ve been served the wrong order at a restaurant, politely but firmly ask for what you ordered. If a colleague constantly interrupts you in meetings, calmly assert your right to finish your thoughts.

Every time you successfully stand up for yourself
no matter the situation, you’re reinforcing your belief in your own self-worth and your ability to protect it. Each victory also provides valuable experience and insights that you can apply in more challenging scenarios.

Will Gill
Event Entertainer, DJ Will Gill

Advocate for Your Needs

Standing up for yourself is about advocating for your own needs and boundaries, even when people disagree with you. The key is to communicate assertively yet respectfully. This means being clear, concise, and direct when expressing your thoughts and feelings.

Don’t worry about persuading the other person or getting them on board with what you say. More often than not, it’s about asserting what you believe and promising to act on it.

Remember, it’s important to listen to what others have to say, but ultimately, you are the best advocate for your own needs and boundaries.

Joyce Tsang
Content Marketer and Founder, Joyce Tsang Content Marketing

Approach with Kindness and Calm

One important tip I would offer for someone looking to stand up for themselves is to approach the situation with kindness.

By remaining calm and composed, you can effectively communicate that you are not comfortable with the current behavior or treatment without getting personal or confrontational.

This approach helps to maintain a positive dialogue and increases the likelihood of reaching a resolution that respects your boundaries and ensures you receive the treatment you deserve.

Loren Howard
Founder, Prime Plus Mortgages: Hard Money Loans

Stay Firm in Your Beliefs

One tip for standing up for yourself is always to stay firm in what you believe in. Don’t let other people deter you from your beliefs. Being strong in this action will let people know you are who you are and you are unapologetic about it.

If you are easily swayed away from your beliefs, people will take advantage and walk all over you. You are a unique person; don’t follow everyone else!

Jordan Desmond
Director of Business Development, Argon Agency

Use “I” Statements Confidently

Expressing oneself confidently is important, but it’s crucial to do so in a non-aggressive or passive manner. A useful technique to assert oneself is by using “I” statements. Instead of blaming or attacking, “I” statements can express how certain words or actions made one feel.

This method allows the other person to respond without feeling attacked or defensive. It also helps to stay focused on the facts and emotions rather than getting caught up in an emotional exchange. It’s best to start practicing “I” statements in minor situations before moving on to more significant and intense conversations.

Basana Saha
Founder, KidsCareIdeas

Follow These Self-Help Tips

This is a pet peeve of mine. I am learning how to stand up for myself as well. Things I’ve learned by now include:

-Instill in yourself that you are a brave, smart, confident person, even if you don’t believe it. In time, your thoughts will help you change. Fake it till you make it, you know?

– It’s helpful to carry a bracelet or other small thing that will be a reminder that you don’t have to make concessions and that right now you need to think about what to answer, rather than giving an automatic response. I, for example, forget.

– When addressing a salesperson in a store or any other person, use the speech constructions “give,” “show,” and “tell”. You can add the word “please” to them. But refuse the phrases “may I?”, “can I…”. Of course you can!

– Say frankly what you think. If you are not satisfied with the time of the meeting, the place of the meeting, or the service—say it calmly and directly, do not hide your dissatisfaction.

Tatiana Gavrilina, Copywriter, DDI Development

Harness Your Physical Presence

One powerful tip for standing up for yourself is to harness the power of your physical presence. While it doesn’t involve resorting to physical altercations, being mindful of your body language can make a world of difference. Imagine this: straighten your shoulders, radiate confidence, and hold your head high.

Stand face-to-face, demonstrate assertiveness, or position yourself at a slight angle to maintain composure. And let’s not forget the eyes—they are windows to your inner strength. Maintain steady eye contact, expressing conviction in your words.

Remember, the physical elements of a conversation speak volumes, amplifying the impact of your message. By consciously using your body language, project self-assurance, command attention, and convey your unwavering resolve to stand up for yourself. Embrace the power of the physical, and let your presence be a force to be reckoned with.

Jocelyn Bowmaker
Marketing Manager, The Mindset Development Group