Q&A for How to Stand up for Yourself

It's better to look focus on your strengths than it is to worry over your weaknesses. I would suggest digging deep inside to try and figure out where your strengths lie.

It's hard to push yourself to do something if you don't think you can pull it off. It's difficult to be confident if you've never done something before, so try not to put too much stock in this. The more often you stand up for yourself, the easier it will be.

Tell yourself that you are the only one who can control who you are. No one else has any power over you. You can defeat them, no matter what they say. See further: How to Not Care What People Think .

Have a strong soul. Don't let words affect you. Keep thinking there is something to look forward to in the future.

If you feel lonely, remind yourself that they don't deserve to be friends with you because they betrayed you. You will make plenty more friends in time, don't worry.

Run through drills with a close friend or family member. Come up with scenarios where you are forced to stand up for yourself. Think through what you will say, and then say it. Be assertive in the simulation, and then carry these skills over into real life.

There are various signs but most of all, resentment resides within you because you're always pleasing other people at the expense of your own needs. Some indicators include wanting to say no but always saying yes, complimenting when you don't actually believe what you're saying and going to places or doing things when you'd rather be doing anything else in the world but that. See further: How to Stop Being a People Pleaser .

I have had to deal with this very thing today. I waited after receiving an indecent text message until I was thinking clearly, then texted back that I would expect an apology as I was insulted. He texted back that it was just a joke and that I should settle down. In other words, he dismissed my feelings and in so doing further disrespected me. I thought for an hour and then texted back, "So, it would be funny if your daughter received a message like that?" You can substitute sister, mother, etc.

Stay positive. You don't need to bring others down to lift yourself up. Just explain the situation (why you feel like you are not being treated fairly, etc.) and politely ask the person to stop the behavior.

The best thing to do is to confront her in private and tell her how you feel. Maybe she's not doing it intentionally.

Go out of your way to make someone's day better (cook breakfast for them, take them to work, etc.). Also, find a cause or charity that you like and donate some of your money. Or volunteer some of your time to community service.

Say, "I am standing up for myself, I'm not mad, but I don't like it when you (name what that person was doing before you stopped them), so can you please stop doing that?"

Stand up for yourself by calling your friend out on her behavior and seeking a new friend if she doesn't stop.

Ignore and detach from the person. It may be uncomfortable, but try not to show a reaction. Just be professional, respectful and mature and focus on your work. Don't seek validation from this person for your worth or value or spend energy trying to get them to like you. Strengthen your relationships with your boss and others in the office. This will be helpful if this person turns out to be untrustworthy in his/her intentions toward you.

You'll have to tell your friend in a calm manner. She may get upset but try to discuss it as peacefully as you can and be clear about what you don't like and why you don't like it. Affirm that you still like HER, but explain that her actions are sometimes difficult to accept or support. Listen to her replies and try to work out a peaceful solution.

If you have literally tried everything you could possibly think of, then remember when push comes to shove don't back down. Some people will love to push you as far as they think you'll go, so that they still "win". If they want to throw down, don't be afraid to defend yourself and not back down from it. If you back down from a possible fight then you're showing them your limits. The true answer to your question would be "How far are you willing to go to prove that you're going to stand up for yourself?"

It takes infinitely more strength to forgive someone for what they have done to you than it does to hold a grudge against them. If you hold onto anger and resentment, you're only hurting yourself. If they ask for forgiveness and they are truly remorseful, you should forgive them, but remain cautious until they have truly earned back your trust.

The best thing to do is to stay calm and ignore them. If you scream or overreact, they will laugh and mock you even more, but when they see that you don't care, they'll gradually learn to leave you alone. If they get violent, defend yourself in a calm manner. Let your general disposition be that you don't care.

It is reasonable that you do not wanna be around such people. Try talking to them about it and try to help them, too. Be strong and never back down.

Tell them how you feel, ignore them or walk away. If it continues, contact a teacher if you are in school or the police if you are not. You do not have to feel intimidated.

You can just say you too, because that is always the easiest thing to say cause it won't hurt them that much, also use that whenever you don't have a comeback, and if they are really hurting you, then say whatever is on your mind, then they will stop. Or you can ignore them, even though that is the hardest thing to do. For example, if they are saying "Oh you suck" then say "How about you?" then they will think about it and if they don't have any more comebacks, the right thing to do would be just walk away.

It's tough to know when you are stressed out and in middle of all that. But your mind (and heart) is very intelligent, you can see patterns in incidents happening to you. If you are repeatedly ending up with the same feelings with different people, when you are in the heat of it you might find yourself going back to a past situation when you felt the same. That's your cue.

Just ignore them all they want is attention from you or someone else. So just keep paying attention to the teacher and not that classmate.

Stay calm. Try saying something like "Could you please stop doing that? I don't really like that." If they are older than you and they persist, feel free to report or reply to them with something of the same harshness. If they are the same age, just ask them politely to stop trying so hard to annoy you, because it isn't working (Even if they are driving you up the wall).

Unfortunately, there's no real way to stop a rumor, especially if enough people know about it. You can, however, address it with an attitude that shows it doesn't bother you, or you could just ignore it. Eventually, the people will move on to another topic and forget about it.

Don’t give up. It may not work the first time, but when you do it multiple times, eventually the bullies will realize that you are strong and capable. Never give up.

Confidence comes from within you. It doesn't matter what you look like, you're a person of value. Focus on your strengths, not what you perceive as your weaknesses. Love yourself. Write down everything you like about yourself and re-read the list every day. Keep adding to it. You won't gain confidence overnight, it's a process, but you'll get there.

You can seek professional advice at a domestic shelter. You can find information on these programs online, including phone numbers and contact information, and they will be able to provide you with any assistance that you might need to get out of an abusive situation.

Remind them that not everyone in the world is as shallow as them, and plenty of people would be more than capable of loving someone who was overweight.

There is nothing embarrassing about birthmarks. If someone is looking at it, just ask the person what he/she thinks it looks like. Make up a story for it. It can be a fun conversation starter. Your birthmark makes you unique!