What makes some of us unable to stand up for ourselves?

I had a fight with my wife this morning. She was essentially asking me to tell her what I wanted. I don’t because I don’t like to be told “no.”

So I wonder. Could I be too sensitive to rejection? Too fearful of loss? Have I learned that it is very dangerous to disappoint others? Or that it is impossible to please others?

Have you had a hard time advocating for yourself? Can you give an example? Why do you think you have such trouble with it? What are some of the reasons that you think people, in general, have trouble advocating for themselves?