Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Find a Voice
• Part 2 of 3: Interacting with Others
• Part 3 of 3: Be Effective
• Tips
• Warnings

Have you ever been in such a situation when, being in the center of a lively discussion, you would like that you had enough motivation to put in your 5 kopecks? Or do you want to finally gather your courage and suggest yourself which movie to go to next Friday? Either way, if you are finally heard, it will give you a great sense of satisfaction. Keep reading and you will learn how to express your opinion and be heard!

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Find a Voice

1. 1 Rest assured. To be heard, you yourself must believe that your voice deserves attention. You must trust that your input to the conversation can improve it. And, most likely, it will be so! It is the versatile opinions that make the conversation or argument more interesting and lively.
   • If you are not too confident, start by discussing a specific topic. If you know a ton about farming, start with this. If you are into martial arts, please start talking about it. The more knowledgeable you are about the topic of the discussion, the more comfortable you will feel during the discussion. Practice more, it will help you expand your area of ​​interest to more topics such as government, ethics and religion.
2. 2 Overcome shyness. Even if you are confident in yourself, it is not a fact that you will still vote. The next step is overcoming shyness. Try to be more open; it may sound intimidating, but believe me, it is doable. With persistence and sufficient motivation, you can be in complete control of yourself.
   • It all depends only on your state of mind. After all, you were not born silent and withdrawn. You have learned all this! Of course, you will not immediately get rid of your "quiet" habits, but, again, it is possible. Previously, you made decisions to become who you are now; now is the time to make decisions about who you will be in the future.
3. 3 Express your opinion competently. If you sound like you have no idea what you are talking about, very soon no one will be listening to you. It’s very difficult to be heard if you don’t really have anything to say. Reflect on how you feel about events that are relevant in your environment. You must have your own opinion and it cannot be wrong!
   • If you don't really have an opinion on this topic, do your research. Although, know that the lack of opinion on any issue is also a good position (for example, you do not think that this topic deserves attention and controversy). In the middle of a heated discussion, try saying, “Guys. Take it easy. Is this topic worth your energy? "
     • For example, Miley Cyrus's twitter. Nothing to say? This is definitely not a problem.
4. 4 Know what matters to you. Being heard does not mean that you have to insert comments every 12 seconds about everything in a row. But, nevertheless, it is better to leave some not very valuable comments to yourself ..
   • In other words, choose a battle that you can win. You don't need to be the one who gives everyone your opinion all the time. Expressing your opinions just to be heard? Do you want to be the one who takes pride in having his last word? No thanks. Know what interests you and stick to it. Easy peasy.
5. 5 Know there is nothing wrong with being withdrawn. Western society teaches us to be extroverts. Employees who raise their hands, support conversation, and easily form goal-oriented work relationships are valued. But don't worry, there is nothing wrong with being withdrawn. This will change as soon as you want other people to hear your opinion.
   • As with most situations in life, try to keep the middle ground. Don't make it your goal to express your opinion 24/7 - you should only want to be heard if you really want to express your opinion or want to defend or defend your position. In all other cases, save your opinion for yourself.
6. 6 Open your mind. This is just one of the rules of etiquette when dealing with disputes. If you want to express your opinion and appear as a rational and noteworthy participant in an argument, you cannot be fanatical, unresponsive, and arrogant. So if you, for example, want to dump your extremely disapproving opinion of the postcard industry on others, stop. Then they may not want to hear you.
   • This is important before, during, and after giving your opinion. Say, “You know, you’re right after all. I didn’t think about it ”deserves as much admiration as if you shower the interlocutor with undeniable facts. Most people can argue endlessly, and only a few are able to stop and admit they were wrong.
7. 7 Consider your gender. Still, no matter how unpleasant it is, if you want to be heard, a lot depends on your gender. Of course, the difference is becoming less noticeable, but, nevertheless, it is still present. As a voice-over man, you are more likely to appear as ambitious, intelligent, and courageous to those around you. If a woman tries to express her opinion, she will be thought of as arrogant, assertive and masculine. Yes, this stereotype still exists in our society, albeit not as clearly as before.
   • If you don't care how others perceive you, ignore it. But if you are a woman and want your opinion to be heard and reckoned with, know that in some circles of communication you will have a very difficult time. Some people just don't know how to treat a woman with their own opinion, while others, on the contrary, find it amusing. This is their problem, but remember that it can directly affect you.

Part 2 of 3: Interacting with Others

1. 1 Scout your surroundings. If, by the way, you are the only atheist in a full Baptist room, you will have to keep your opinion of religion to yourself. Otherwise it will all end with eye-rolling, irritation, and panting. If you are in the company of people considering any point of view, go ahead - if you have something to add, feel free to join the conversation. If you want to be heard, you also need to know how to choose the right moment.
   • Wait for a topic that interests you. If you constantly contradict others, you will get the impression that you are a conflicted and annoying person. The point is for people to hear your opinion and accept it, not to constantly try to hammer it into their heads.
2. 2 Be tactful. Imagine someone gets up and says, “You know, the last few weeks you have had a terrible breath. Please do something about it, brush your teeth and finally floss for all of us! »How would you feel? Most likely awful. Don't be that kind of person! You can speak your mind without losing your sense of tact and respect for the feelings of others.
   • Let's say the roles have changed. Everyone talks about Jose and his bad breath, but no one dares to tell him about it. Finally, you pull yourself together and say, “Hey Jose, would you like some peppermint gum? I can feel your breath. Garlic today? "
3. 3 Speak competently. A small example. Your friends argue about Chomsky and Skinner's doctrines of linguistic ability, and you jump up and say, “No, you're all crazy! These are those little pink men from space who control everything! " and you roll up, thrashing your limbs and squealing. You were heard, yes, but it was not entirely expressive.If you really believe that little pink men are in control of our thoughts, justify it instead of acting crazy.
   • To solidify your position as a sane person, be attentive to detail, expressive, and as impartial as possible. Needless to say, “The tuna mining and processing industry is terrible. Everyone who eats tuna understands nothing. "Instead, try saying," The tuna industry is completely unsupported by the government. If we don't stop, it will disappear from store shelves in 10 years. Humanity disrupts the course of nature. " It will be difficult to argue with this statement!
4. 4 Know when to back down. Choose your arguments correctly and know when to stop them. You have expressed your opinion, that's fine. What's the point of kicking a dead horse ?!
   • Understand the hints of the interlocutors. If someone starts feeling offended, angry, or expresses other negative emotions, step back. You can discuss this later if necessary.
5. 5 Practice and repeat. You can develop any character trait in yourself. Once you learn to express your opinion on a regular basis, it will start to happen automatically. The sound of your voice will not knock you down. The reaction of others to your words will not terrify you. It's just a natural part of society.
   • For starters, make it a goal to give your opinion once a day. Constantly work in this direction, coming up with what would be appropriate to say. If you go too far, don't worry, you can always go back a few steps. If someone asks you where such changes come from, tell the truth. You want to be heard. That's all.
6. 6 Start with small things. Start by suggesting exactly where you would like to go for dinner or what you would like to see a movie instead of just joining the crowd. Once you get used to it, you can start talking about more meaningful things.
   • Don't let failure upset you. People won't always agree with you. This is fine. This is good! If everyone thinks the same way, life will be terribly boring. People don't attack you - they also voice their opinions. Everyone has the right to express their opinion, whatever it may be.

Part 3 of 3: Be Effective

1. 1 Speak up at home and at work. It's easy to tell your parents what you are thinking. It's much more difficult to go out in a meeting, raise your hand and stand in front of everyone. But it's the complexity that matters. Plus, it can lead to a raise!
   • the more you do something, the more you get used to it. So start right tomorrow. If you want to express your thoughts - do it. That's all you need to do. Do this once a day until you are no longer intimidated by the sound of your voice in conversation.
2. 2 Think what you say. The fact that an introverted person wants to be heard cannot be an excuse for being rude. The next time Gina walks past you in her dress that makes you want to scratch your eyes out, don't tell her about it. When she gets offended (and does the right thing), your “I'm just trying to be honest” won't help. Therefore, think, if you do not want this to be told to you, do not say it to others.
   • Everyone has thoughts that we share only with ourselves. Sometimes you need to talk about it, and sometimes not. Think about the consequences - will the person ultimately benefit from what you said. Will your revelation improve the relationship between you? If the answer is yes, go for it, but be careful.
3. 3 Don't make it your goal to overpersuade. Intelligent, open discussions can be inspiring and fun. While a conversation with someone who is tearing his throat, trying to prove his case, is not very pleasant. Don't be the one who argues until everyone agrees with him. This is not the point.
   • If suddenly you are interested, the point is to convey your opinion, to be heard.It doesn't matter what other people do about it. They can either accept your opinion or not. The point is to get them thinking, not to become your follower.
4. 4 Know that everyone thinks they are right. Some find it difficult to restrain their opinion without trying to impose it on others. This often happens because they are firm and adamant that they are right. The other is acting just funny - doesn't he see? This is because everyone has their own truth. ...
   • Chances are, if you are reading this, you are not someone who only thinks that you are right all the time. However, you will have to face this type of people as soon as you confront them with your opinion. Let this person know that their one-sided views are not compatible with interesting, intelligent conversation. There is no point in arguing with such a person, relax!
5. 5 Do not upset others. Once you start to voice your opinion, you start to bump into other people who have to listen to a lot of other people. Also, you will have to communicate with those who give their opinion and leave you to think about it, for example, “Did he really say that? I probably misheard ... "When that happens, don't tarnish your reputation as a reasonable person with comments like" Are you crazy "or" This is so stupid. " This will put you in a bad position, if not even worse. You will just look a little sneaky.
   • Try not to judge others by trying to voice your opinion. If you, for example, do not want to go to a certain movie with your friends, just tell them about it; but, if someone talks about problems with being overweight, try to be more delicate with this topic.
6. 6 For everything else, listen more. Nelson Mandela (who, by the way, is worth listening to) said that he always tried to listen to all the participants in the discussion before forming his opinion. He also added that often his opinion consisted of the agreed opinions of others. And he’s absolutely right.
   • It is much better to listen to everything first - maybe your point of view has already been expressed, or someone else's opinion will seem better to you. If you listen before you open your mouth, know that you have not worked in vain to be heard. It can also keep you from upset and sadness.

Tips

• Do not be racist, sexophobic in your statements and try not to say anything offensive.
• Try to be noble in all your manifestations.
• Dress nicely, you will attract more attention with your good sense of style.
• Do not be afraid. Your opinion is worth being heard.
• If you think someone did something wrong, tell them in a personal conversation.
• Tackle the arguments that you can win.
• Be laconic. Shorter phrases are more meaningful and effective.

Warnings

• You can make enemies for yourself, but if you are a good and honest person, there will be very few of them. You can also be respected.
• Be careful in the presence of bosses, teachers, etc.
• Some of your friends may only like shy, cautious people. Good friends will understand that you have remained the same, but your circle of contacts has changed a little.