Goal of Verbal Self Defense

The main goal of verbal self defense is to create a positive language environment around yourself that cannot be penetrated by those that wish to attack you and start an argument. By successfully diffusing attacks without argument, you will quickly find that fewer people try to attack you. They will choose someone else to pick on and leave you alone. This is why it is often called the gentle art of verbal self defense. You can defend your rights without a fight or argument, showing that you are the bigger person in the situation.

Advantages of Verbal Self Defense

There are many advantages of verbal self defense. The biggest advantages of verbal self defense at work is the ability to live a life void of arguments and fights. You are able to spot an antagonist trying to start an argument, and stop that antagonist in his or her tracks. This creates a much more positive living environment for you and those around you. Studies have shown that people who hear positive speech in their lives live longer than those who are subjected to negative speech. Not only do the live longer, but they are also healthier. This is one of the biggest advantages of verbal self defense.

Technique Involved in Verbal Self Defense

One way to diffuse an attack using verbal self defense is to respond with an impersonal statement. For example, if the person attacking you blames you for something, you could respond with a statements such as "you know, people are always frustrated when that occurs." The idea is not to use personal pronouns or names, and this diffuses the attack.

The bottom line about the gentle art of verbal self defense is that it involves using positive, calm measures to stop an attack and keep it from escalating into an argument. Eliminating negative, harmful arguments is the biggest benefit of the art of verbal self defense, and a reason that everyone should learn it.