Anyone can learn the art of respectful assertiveness. If you have ever had to express your needs directly to another person, you know it can be hard to do. Our wishes aren’t always aligned with other persons, like when we ask for a refund for something we bought or try to end a conversation with someone who just won’t quit talking. Asking for what we need is the principle behind assertiveness. The idea is often confused with aggression, as if being assertive means demandin