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3. Become assertive.

Becoming assertive is a powerful way to improve your life and boost your self-esteem, which in turn helps you become autonomous, said Lancer, also author of the e-books How To Speak Your Mind: Become Assertive and Set Limits and 10 Steps to Self-Esteem: The Ultimate Guide to Stop Self-Criticism.

Assertiveness is a skill you can practice. It means setting healthy boundaries, learning to say no and being clear about your needs and feelings.

It means respecting yourself and respecting others. According to psychologist Randy Paterson, Ph.D, in The Assertiveness Workbook:

Through assertiveness we develop contact with ourselves and with others. We become real human beings with real ideas, real differences … and real flaws. And we admit all of these things. We don’t try to become someone else’s mirror. We don’t try to suppress someone else’s uniqueness. We don’t try to pretend that we’re perfect. We become ourselves. We allow ourselves to be there.