I’m having trouble speaking out. How do I go about it?

Good morning Bre, and thank you so much for your question. Being assertive, and standing up for yourself can certainly be a very difficult thing to do. There are several different ways to work on being more assertive, and communicating your feelings, even when presented with an uncomfortable situation. The first thing I would encourage you to do, is to recall a time where you were able to be assertive to someone, or to communicate your feelings openly. Think about what you were able to do during that exchange, and how you felt when you were able to be assertive and communicate your feelings directly towards someone. 

Another method I would recommend, is to write out your feelings after the exchange, and spend some time writing, and thinking about what you would like to say, and how you would like to communicate that to someone. An example would be if you and your friend get into an argument, I would encourage you to write out your feelings about the situation, and decide what you would like to say in response. Once you have some ideas written down about what you want to say, ask that friend if you can talk, and explain that you want to communicate your feelings about that exchange with them. Another helpful strategy is to utilize "I feel" statements. Starting off your sentences like, "I feel that you do not respect my time", or "I felt like you did not care about what I had to say". Starting sentences off in that fashion, can be very helpful in communicating your feelings to someone that you have a relationship with, and want to be open and direct with. 

Another recommendation I want to make, is to practice certain assertive statements to yourself, either in the mirror, or in another way that makes you feel slightly uncomfortable. Saying certain assertive phrases to yourself while you are uncomfortable, will help you become more comfortable making those same statements towards someone else. It is almost like practicing a presentation, or a speech that you are going to make in front of a crowd, but instead it is you practicing being assertive, or having a conversation with someone. 

Thank you so much for your time, and for your question. I hope these above recommendations are helpful for you to be more assertive, and stand up for yourself in an appropriate way.