Wimpette

Honey, come onnnnnnnnn. . . Where is your backbone? Yes, yes, I know, it is so difficult to have people think ill of one, now isn't it? But really. . . You can't just sit there like a lump. You also can't go around agreeing with everything that everyone says. Next thing you know, you'll grow up to be a really bad politician. We can't have that, now can we? No. Absolutely not. We need to get you speaking your mind at least once in awhile. Try this: first of all, you need to decide that you are willing to actually say something out loud when you disagree with someone. When you actually DO speak, make sure that your mind is turned on and connected to your tongue. We are NOT going for embarrassment here. We DO, however; want you to use your own mind. I KNOW you have one, so dust it off, get it in gear and USE it.

Remember - be polite. Don't try to stuff your ideas down someone else's throat. Just let them know that you have a different opinion. Don't be expecting everyone to suddenly agree with YOU. That's not what this is all about. It's about not feeling pressured to agree with what everyone else thinks, it's about feeling good enough about yourself to have your own ideas, and feeling good enough about your ideas to share them with others. Share is the word here. Don't go insisting that you are right, and everyone else is wrong. Be gracious. I know you can do it.

Now if all of this sounds way too hard to jump into, then try this first: simply keep your mouth closed when you don't agree with something that is said. Say nothing. Don't agree out loud if you don't agree inside. If someone asks you point blank what you think, try saying, I'm still trying to figure this all out. What else can you tell me about this? You can listen and ask questions until you work up the courage to speak your own mind.

Find out how one girl pressures herself to talk TOO much and winds up feeling like a jerk in It Looks As If.

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