Hey Bro!
We all run into this at one time or another, and the biggest thing to do is to just be assertive! There is no reason to get violent or even think of getting violent. Your mind and the language you use is the biggest weapon you have, and will beat fists any day!

1. Walk up to him, tap him on his muscled shoulder and say, "Hey man, there is a line, we've all been waiting for this pump." 99% of the time, he was just in la-la land and didn't notice. Ran into this type of scenario at a bar last week; a bunch of us were waiting in line and a guy cuts to the front. I just made him aware of the situation, and he was apalogetic (and clearly drunk) and got in line. He was much larger than I was. Just be polite, it never hurts to offer the olive branch first.

2. In this case, I'd just ignore him. Not only will he get his ass beat by the other guys playing poker, but he is drunk and chances are you can take his chips very easily.

3. Body check him back! If all else fails hit him harder than he hit you. If you get a card, so what? You put the guy in his place, and it's just a game!

Look up a hypnotist named Darren Marks, I use him frequently when I'm feeling down, very relaxing an soothing stuff. The biggest thing man is to just be yourself and you're going to be afraid, that won't ever change, but as you get more experienced the fear stops mattering, and the reward is greater than the risk. As with pick up, approach anxiety kills.

Hope this helped dude!

I'm not sure where to post this but since it is one of my anxieties I figure this forum will be as good as any.

I hate confrontations with anyone especially other males. I have been in confrontations recently but I just feel like I've been made a fool. Now I have somewhat deliberately started to avoid them, and it makes me feel bad. I feel like I am not socially calibrated to know how to react, besides acting on my emotions. I am not a menacing dude, I'm 5'5, don't know any martial arts, and never been in a fight; but dont get me wrong I am willing to fight someone if pushed to that extreme but I'd rather not.

What should be done in situations like this? I find it important to include what they look like to make each scenario more realistic.

1. You're at a busy gas station and your patiently waiting for a pump when some asshole comes in and steals it? (he looks pretty buff) How do you handle this?

2. You're playing poker and a drunk idiot(fat) at your table starts taunting you, saying that he's going to take your chips and calls you a bitch. How do you handle this?

3. You're playing in a soccer game and it is the second time this player fouls you hard, you get up infuriated with the referee for not booking him. When you jog back to play this player says, "stop complaining fa***t"(relatively same build as you). How do you handle this?

I just want to get a perspective from others and possibly read or practice material that would make me fear confrontation less. I think this is what makes me self-conscious when I meet new people, I'm afraid of confrontations and being bullied. F that how do I get over it?

I would gladly like to hear suggestions.

I say things to piss off opponents all the time.

You might not care about getting a card, but if your teammates have to play with 10 men and end up losing because of that, they won't be overly impressed when you say "sorry guys I just had to get sent off because their striker called me a nasty name." I reckon your teammates would be calling you a few more nasty names!