While you will want to have no qualms about saying what’s on your mind, ordinary social etiquette still applies to you even if you’re feisty, so avoid being rude when you’re expressing your opinions. For instance, if you’re with your friends and they want to see a movie that you don’t think you’ll like, at dinner, you might say something light-hearted and sarcastic like, “Wow, another paranormal teen romance? Sounds awesome, guys!” You wouldn’t want to say something like, “You guys are morons. I can’t believe you idiots like that trash. " Remember, feisty people are opinionated, but they’re not cruel.
Again, however, you’ll want to be reasonable about just how extreme you are with the expression of your emotions. If you’re frustrated during a math test, don’t groan loudly and interrupt other students. If you’re at a funeral, avoid breaking into fits of giggles, even if the joke you’re thinking of is really funny. A healthy measure of common sense is key here — feisty people are open about their emotions, but they’re not emotional wrecks.
Gaining confidence in certain social situations is something almost everyone struggles with. Countless books, articles, and other resources have been written on the subject. While gaining confidence is a process that’s too long and detailed to discuss in-depth here, the basic idea is that you’ll want to at first fake confidence by literally imitating confident behaviors (using eye contact, standing with good posture, and so on). Eventually, you’ll be able to internalize this external confidence and begin to focus on your strengths, rather than your weaknesses, while simultaneously working to improve yourself. It’s a vague process, but one that becomes easier with practice. For more information, check out our fantastic How to Be Confident article.
The tricky part of arguing as a feisty person is balancing your own genuine emotions with the needs of maintaining a civil argument. While you have no obligation to humor opinions that you find repugnant (like, for instance, racist or sexist prejudices), you should make a point to be polite about any sensible opinion your opponent might have. As a general rule, it’s OK to attack someone’s opinion, but not the person him or herself (e. g. , favor phrases like “that won’t work” over ones like “you’re dumb for thinking that will work”).
Dress however you’d like — if you feel like wearing bright colors, wear bright colors. If you feel like wearing something dark and muted, wear that instead. Make your clothing an emblem of your inner personality — it’s a somewhat shallow but admittedly noticeable way to express yourself to you everyone you meet!
Other people’s input can help you see problems from a new perspective or even come to a new understanding of yourself. For instance, if you’re having a friendly, feisty argument with a friend about what is and isn’t appropriate dating behavior, if you listen to what he says (without letting him walk all over you), you may learn something that can win you more dates in the future. You also may not, but if you don’t listen, you definitely won’t.
Purposely interpreting the things your friends say in the worst way possible (e. g. , with jokes like “that’s what she said” and so on). Leaving goofy messages on someone’s computer after s/he leaves the room. Impersonating a telemarketer when a parent answers your call. Telling the people you meet at a party a name that isn’t actually yours. More elaborate practical jokes a la those in How to Pull Harmless Pranks.
It’s hard to have a good sense of humor if you’re stressed, tired, or distracted. This means that, to be as feisty as possible, you’ll need to have a strong hold on other aspects of your life, like your career and family responsibilities. Ironically, the best way to have a good sense of humor is to be serious about ensuring that everything else in your life is going well so that you can relax and enjoy yourself.
One of the very feistiest ways to tease someone is to fire back with a perfect retort after s/he says something cheeky or unsuspecting. Doing this requires a quick wit and excellent comedic timing — it’ not easy, but with practice, it is possible to get better at it. For more information, see How to Think of Quick Witted Comebacks
Like being confident, the specifics of flirting are so broad that there’s not enough room to do them justice in this article. The basic idea is that you’ll want to joke and lightly tease people you’re attracted to, showing them special attention while simultaneously staying “hard to get”. A sense of confidence is crucial for good flirting skills, though looks, intelligence, and a good personality are also big pluses. If you’re looking for more guidance, you may also want to check out How to Flirt.
As an example of sarcasm, you might sarcastically say, “Gee, this chicken is just like grandma used to make” if you think it’s not very good. You probably wouldn’t just say, “This chicken is good” as a sarcastic joke, as there’s not really any punchline here other than that you don’t think it’s good. Sarcasm needs humor to work well — sarcasm for sarcasm’s sake can be dreadfully annoying.
For detailed fitness advice, check out our article selection on personal fitness.
It’s worth noting that rest is also very important on a basic physical level. Most medical resources recommend that adults should get roughly 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Failing to get enough sleep can lead to chronic fatigue, stress, and irritability, all of which can lead to you acting more grouchy than feisty.
Listen to your favorite song. Bonus points if it’s a motivational song along the lines of “Eye of the Tiger”. Watch an inspirational or suspenseful movie scene. Good choices include Alec Baldwin’s profanity-laden speech from Glengarry Glen Ross and the Mexican standoff at the conclusion of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Perform a short burst of intense physical activity, like jumping jacks or sprinting. Listen to your favorite comedian. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. Send a flirty text to your significant other. Watch a jump-scare video online to shock yourself awake.
