It’s always best to be diplomatic in the face of any difficulty. You can even play stupid when dealing with any kind of confrontation in life. Defending yourself doesn’t always require you to be assertive just don’t let people walk all over you. You deserve better, and sometimes it’s not worth it. You pick and choose your battles in life. 

Playing stupid is a strategic way of “disarming others, protect relationships, and gather information without creating conflict.” [1] Don’t be pressured into admissions in life, you’re not required to please others in that way or give someone the upper hand over you. There’s a way to maintain your power without giving your power away to another’s subjective read on a situation. Think about how you feel, don’t get hurt in the process of being honest with others. Not all will be understanding of you and that doesn’t mean you are the problem, the problem could just be lack of compassion for you. Be in your own side in life.

“Stopping people from walking all over you starts with recognizing that habitual compliance often stems from a desire to keep others comfortable at the expense of your own well-being.” [2] So breathe, take a step back, sometimes silence is the best medicine. You don’t always have to explain yourself or run the risk of sounding like excuses. Some are not owed that much of you to begin with. Know your worth and learn how to walk away from situations without your best interests in mind. 

References:

[1] When Playing Dumb Is Smart – Government Executive

[2] https://youtu.be/yIHq6-EtYyk?si=6ZiuYEAIcTdBjM5J