It has been my experience working as a clinical psychologist that when people start to become assertive and clearer about their legitimate needs, family and friends seldom say, "Good on you for learning these self-assertion skills and becoming stronger. It's a joy to see you taking more personal responsibility for your life".
Instead, family and friends are more likely to react negatively by saying (not always directly to you), "What's with you? Think you're so much better than us do you!?"
JWs are simply a more concentrated version of what happens more generally in human relationships:
JWs coped better with us when we were indecisive and unassertive. We were easier to push around and influence. We sat down with them and went through the magazines together, giving the "right" answers. We were like brainless sheep so they cazlled us "sheep-like". Duh!
The trouble with people who start asserting themselves and taking responsibility for their lives is they are literally less likely to let others push them around. In fact they may even muster the coruage to say those very offensive words JWs hate to hear: "No thank you".
I always found the witnesses were so much nicer to me when I was a "Yes-man". It came as a pride-injuring shock to them when I no longer wanted to be a door mat. That alone can bring out the animosity in others. All it shows is that JWs are human after all - just not exhibiting the more admirable qualities we humans are capable of if we champion taking personal responsibility.