5 Steps to Make Yourself Manipulation-Proof

#2 Develop Critical Thinking

Exploiters and Manipulators are everywhere. In your family, friends, office, and online. And they vary according to your interests and vulnerabilities.

We get tricked with our emotions, expectations, and feelings. It hurts more when people you trust use you for their benefits.

The realization of being used makes it worse. And the worst thing about it is when you know you’re getting used and you can’t do anything.

It can cause serious mental health issues. You get frustrated, feel cheated, and regret. You could develop trust issues and fear of rejection. It could also lead to a loss of confidence and mental depression.

With the following steps, you can avoid getting used by others and be mentally and emotionally a strong person.

1. Identify Potential Manipulators and Exploiters

Before you could act on getting yourself ‘manipulation-proof’, you have to be aware that you are being used for others’ benefits, not yours.

A senior colleague making you work for him, or an influential family member who wants you to get married, or a persuasive partner who wants you to do things in his/her way.

Some people may just want self benefits by persuading to certain services, it's a classic marketing technique. But some are there to exploit your abilities and use that for their profit.

Find out people's motives, interests, or benefits. Know if it's really going to help you or just making you involve in a thing you don’t want to.

Sometimes getting a hold of your situation can make you aware of things that could affect you. It will make you able to think and act accordingly.

2. Develop Critical Thinking

You have a brain and mind of your own. Use it, and reach your own decisions. — Napoleon Hill

In today’s era misinformation flies faster than truth. With many mediums of information, the truth may vary. You can never find what it really is unless you use your ability to think and question.

Not evaluating a certain thing before believing others may get you under their influence. You could also be in a situation where you couldn’t tell if you're being used.

Developing critical thinking can make you able to analyze the situation. It will make you aware of your situation, and priorities. It will refine your decision-making process and help you chose better.

Critical thinking will also make you informed about other’s motives and interests. You can assess if it is a genuine call for help or just a call for using you.

Question and analyze others' claims. Think logically if its really going to be beneficial to you or if it is just for their good.

Think before committing yourself to others. It will spare you of your frustration and regret.

3. Do Not Please Everyone Every Time

You try to be nice to everyone and want to be helpful to others. You make yourself available for everyone, even exploiters.

You will be made to work that you could not refuse, to maintain that kind and helpful personality. Over-committing to others cause you a lot of stress and displeasure.

The worst thing about it is that you know you won’t get anything out of it and you cannot do anything to change it. You might fall into a vicious cycle hard to escape.

Stop being a people-pleaser. Stop saying yes to everyone.

Nobody is going to say things about you if you fail, even if they do, does it matter?

“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Nobody is perfect, and no one can do everything. It is not necessary to prove that you are worthy, every time. Prove it by your deeds, not charity.

Remember you have a choice, to say “NO”.

4. Do Not Depend on Others for Your Life Decisions

Everybody needs somebody to give that push to do things we want to do. We seek external support for our ideas and aspiration, just to get it validated.

But as soon as you make a habit of asking everything beforehand, you lose your ability to make decisions on your own. You try to validate everything before committing it.

The dependence on others will make you vulnerable to being used. Asking others for every decision will hamper your self-assessment and thinking capacities.

Your life is your life, you have to make decisions yourself. Getting a life that was not chosen by you is no life.

Even if doesn’t work out, even if you fail, do not let go of your decision-making abilities. Your experiences will teach you better than anybody else’s advice.

Depending on others makes you vulnerable to unforeseen and unexpected events that you may not be ready for. Any such event might be devastating.

Your dependence on others also makes your decision-making process more cautious and you will not be able to take risks or even life-changing decisions.

Think about your situation, nobody will understand it better than you.

5. Do Not Underestimate Yourself

You have the capacity to change the world. Believe in yourself. If you let down yourself who will stand you up?

Manipulation happens when there is a possibility. And being unaware of your capacities you might fall victim to manipulation.

You are easily manipulated if you lose faith in yourself. Do not lose your confidence, even if failure seems to be certain. Others may take advantage of your incapacities.

You being vulnerable, is your problem. You have to solve it, by self-improving. If you do not believe in yourself, you will believe everyone else. Do not let others take advantage of your loss of confidence.

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” — Norman Vincent Peale

It's difficult to acknowledge and confront your vulnerabilities, but with them, you're making others take advantage of you.

If you are able to think, refuse when it is necessary, and take a wise decision yourself, you are less likely to be manipulated. It will lead you to the success you can be proud of.

Being used is not exclusive to a certain person or personality, everyone can get used by others. What makes a difference is learning from the experience and strengthening yourself to possible manipulation.

Thank you.