Your assertiveness or lack of it is closely related to your daily communication.

Most of us take communication for granted; it's just one of those things we do every day without realizing that the process is quite complex.

Understanding the communication process will allow you to be more aware, and identify areas in which you could be more assertive.

Incorporating assertiveness into your communication means that you need to understand what assertiveness is and what it is not.

Assertiveness and aggressiveness are different behaviors, largely separated by the level of respect for yourself and others.

In its simplest form, assertiveness is the expression of your wants, your needs, and your opinions clearly and directly stated without violating the rights of others.

Aggressiveness, on the other hand, is the expression of feelings, wants, and opinions with no respect for others. Aggressive behavior focuses on the self at the expense of others.

Many people have the wrong idea as to what assertiveness really implies.

They think that assertiveness means standing your ground, pushing for what you want, and refusing to give in.

Other opinions of assertiveness think that it means a person is mostly pleasant but can still resolutely stand their ground.

Neither of these definitions is correct.

Assertiveness is a very natural style that means nothing more than interacting with others in a direct, honest and respectful manner.

Being assertive is a must if relationships are honest and healthy, and result in win-win.

Assertion communicates that one has a healthy self-respect and respect for others.

Assertive behavior is about being honest and telling others how you feel, what you want, and about standing up for your rights.

It shows that you view yourself as equal to the other person, and that there are no power games.

It is important to remember that being assertive is not a personal attack on others, rather it is used as a platform to communicate your needs, wants and opinions.

When you feel that you are under attack from another person, you need to make sure that you don't take it personally, remembering that the other person is possibly also being assertive.

You may need to soften your assertiveness if you find that the other person is starting to take it personally.

Remember, that you are totally responsible for the communication that comes from you.

If the other person seems to be taking it the wrong way then in you need to change how you say, what seems to be offending them.

This has been the tip of the iceberg when discussing assertiveness and future articles will go deeper into the communication process, the importance of "I" statements, and the differences between assertiveness, aggressiveness, and submissiveness.