speak confidently/ express myself better

I’ve always had problems with confidence, particularly more so in the past. I did get help with this and in my daily life I’ve changed dramatically, and the more I have “put myself out there” the easier it has become. I then recently had a conflict situation arise with my son’s class teacher, she has very little in the way of approachability, and during my meeting with her I had to express to her my issues with the way she had reprimanded my son. What I wasn’t expecting was for her to lie to my face and challenge me outright. I had been hoping for us to work together to come to a solution that suited us both but what I got was a very defensive woman who literally “stared me down” and made me feel like I was a child again. I came away feeling so unhappy, angry and frustrated and have now resolved to work on my confidence to include situations like this. I want to be able to say with confidence ” No you are wrong” in a clear voice, without the blushing, darting eyes, squirming in my seat, blustery conversation and feeling like it’s me who is guilty. I came away from that meeting feeling like an incompetent fool but resolved to go to the next one as a calm and confident woman, who knows what needs to be said, and who can say it clearly and with ease. I aim to be able to hold a conversation with people like this teacher and to be able to think suitable answers when I am there in front of them rather than hours later when I am re-running the conversation in my head for the umpteenth time. :-D Wish me luck…I may well need it!

I’ve always been very quiet and shy, reluctant to say anything or put my opinion forward, always answering questions with just a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and avoiding conversation. But I am much, much better now than I was a year ago, and getting better. The only person I can really talk to openly and be completely comfortable with is my boyfriend. But I have two very good friends that I’m getting there with. As for people in general, I still have a long way to go. But I’m happy with where I am, and where I’m headed. I’m still shy about putting my opinions forward, and I get tongue-tied and nervous, so what I want to say doesn’t always get across. But I’m doing much better than I ever have before, and I’m continuing to make progress. Just have to keep working at it.

i cannot express myself. i am afraid of taking on asssertive role, i tend to ignore things at the office aslong as it is no bother to me. if i am speaking to someone about something, i easily got upset and my heart start to beat fast so i have to stop in the middle. i need help. i am failing my communication caourse as a result at the university

It will be my downfall. I cannot express how I feel about the things I love, and that hinderance will prevent me from getting into Yale, among other things.

My problem is that I feel any words I can think of to descrive my passion(s) are insufficient and unworthy. I use the word “passion” tentatively, because the cliche that word holds almost sickens me. There are no other words, though. It is a devastating catch-22.

This is a very worthwhile goal and you can get help for this by just asking—for free. I would be happy to direct you to a free place to start this.

Learning to speak confidently and express my opinions and ideas would be a huge improvement for me, both professionally and personally. I’m thinking about checking out a local Toastmasters club to see if that would help.

Like others who have posted about this, I have difficulty with conflict. I also tend to rely more on the ‘listener’ role when I am in a conversation, particularly with someone I admire, which gives the impression that I have nothing to say. I’m much more comfortable expressing difficult things in writing than out loud. That’s what I want to work on.

THis will probably one of my lifetime goals as I’ve always had this problem of talking to people and articulating the right messages that I have in my mind.

I guess its probably becuase I’m quite a quiet and shy person and not a very good listener and i tend to talk really quickly and quietly so this is something i need to work on. . .