Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful week, and taking care of yourselves. This week I wanted to write about how we all need to stand up for ourselves, and discuss my very recent experience with this.
My Wake Up Call
Last semester, I had a very interesting roommate experience to say the least. I can’t get into very many details, but the situation was beginning to affect my security and well being at school. My friends and family were becoming extremely worried for me. To sum up, by the end of the semester I realized how abnormal the situation was so I took action. I set a meeting with my community director to discuss my options which helped set things in motion. I eventually had a calm conversation with my roommate about how I was feeling, and asked if she could make any changes on her end. She said no, and I knew that I wasn’t going to just accept her answer. The situation was so distressing that it was affecting not just me, but also my neighbors as well. Consequently, I went back to my community director, and asked him what the next steps were in this situation.
Eventually, after a couple of weeks my roommate moved out, and it felt like a weight had washed over my shoulders. After, I walked into the room, and saw that her things were gone, the relief just washed over me. Thinking back, I don’t know what would’ve happened if I hadn’t been so direct about my concerns. Advocating for myself was such a daunting thing for me to do, but at the end of the day it was necessary.
What I Learned
In the past, I was always someone that let situations take care of themselves. If I ever felt uncomfortable about something or by someone, I would let it go, or give the person a second chance. I hoped the situation would resolve itself. Sometimes this would work, and other times it wouldn’t. I used to possess a very non-confrontational mindset specifically when it came to standing up for myself. This roommate situation, made me realize that being confrontational doesn’t mean I have to be aggressive. I can advocate for myself in a direct manner that doesn’t result in screaming or fighting.
Time for You to Stand Up
To stand up for yourself means to advocate for yourself, and to be able to advocate for yourself is one of the most power tools a person can have. Advocating for yourself doesn’t just get you out of horrible roommate situations. It can get you a job, more respect from others, and most importantly a boost of confidence. After everything that happened from last semester to now, I feel much more equipped to handle situations directly.
What I want you all to learn from my experience, is that it’s time you learn to stand up for yourself if you haven’t yet. You don’t deserve to feel powerless, so stand up!
Thank you all for reading this week’s post. I want you all to know that standing up for yourself doesn’t make you a difficult person. If anything it makes you a force to be reckon with. Make sure to subscribe to be notified of new posts. Stay sharp 😉