Self-Assertiveness Part 1

There have been lots of news stories lately about long marriages breaking up, most recently Al and Tipper Gore separating after 40 years of marriage. I've been reading that it's not that unusual, that divorce after decades of marriage is common. In fact, divorce rates are rising for those 55 and older, while falling for other groups. And in many cases, as with the Gores, infidelity is not a factor.  It's usually due to long-term unhappiness or not spending enough time together.
At the same time, I've been thinking about the importance of relationships. Studies have demonstrated that the number one predictor of well being is the time we spend with people we care about, and that people in a romantic, intimate relationship are generally happier. 
Relationships in the work place also play such an important part in our well-being and our success. Many of us spend a lot of time with the people with whom we work and need to work as part of a team to reach our goals.  So this week I'm going to be blogging about a crucial part of how we create successful relationships, and that is by the practice of self-assertiveness.