When someone else is talking, listen and tune in to the other person respectfully and with unconditional love. Honest expression of your feelings while taking responsibility for them. All the above factors have great cultural and social differences which are best observed. Thus what is a comfortable personal distance is totally different between different cultures. Also what is deemed friendly between people of same gender may be deemed as flirting or attempted seduction when done between people of opposite genders.
Feedback is very important in learning to become more assertive.
You may video tape yourself as a means of feedback. What you are looking for is a good balance. This web site is as much yours as it is ours. Your feedback will help us improve it for you.