*This is part three of a multi-part series on Travel and self-esteem
Self-Assertiveness
Nathaniel Branden defines assertiveness as,
“Being authentic in our dealings with others; treating our values and persons with decent respect in social contexts; refusing to fake the reality of who we are or what we esteem in order to avoid disapproval; the willingness to stand up for ourselves and our ideas in appropriate ways in appropriate contexts.”
Learning a language is one of the best ways to improve your level of assertiveness.
Traveling in Spanish speaking countries with only a limited vocabulary means that you have to get comfortable asking people questions and looking like an idiot.
Being passive is complex. You need to know the intricacies of the language to say “do you think that I could possibly…”
Being assertive is simple. “Can I have…” “Where is…”
When you are new to a language, you have to be more assertive if you want to learn and improve. And that assertiveness doesn’t go away when you go back home. It has become a habit, and your comfort zone has expanded. You have improved your assertiveness, and your self-esteem as a result.
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