How do be more assertive and less sensitive?

traveller80

I take everything to heart. For e.g., If I get honked at while driving, I'll think about it all night. If I get criticised in work, I'll think about it all night. I take things personally and get hurt really easily. I know I shouldn't but I just can't stop it from happening. Even if someone replies harshly to this post, i'll get hurt!! What is wrong with me????

At the same time, I never speak up for myself properly because I don't want to offend other people. On the rare occasion I do, I then spend hours worrying about whether I was too harsh to them.

I want people to like me, which I know is a problem as I shouldn't go through life trying to please others just so they will like me.

I just want to be a more confident person, less sensitive and be like other people who don't let things bother them, but I have no idea how to go about this

thegreatgonzo

I used to be very sensitive in my late teens and early 20's. I never really did anything specifically about it but I focused on things that I wanted to achieve and hung out with people who made me feel good about myself and overtime I became much more confident. I'm sorry if this isn't helpful to you but really I suppose I was doing the 'fake it till you make it' approach to self confidence. The people you surround yourself with are important, you won't be worrying too much what strangers and other peripheral people think of you if the people most important to you are good folk who think highly of you.