Page 111 - How To Analyze People: 13 Laws About the Manipulation of the Human Mind, 7 Strategies to Quickly Figure Out Body Language, Dive into Dark Psychology and Persuasion for Making People Do What You Want

on altering your expectations and setting the boundaries that you
need to start protecting yourself. Take small steps towards slowly

enforcing these boundaries, allowing it to happen gradually over
time while you build up your confidence in the process. If they
were someone whom you previously went to for advice, start
phasing that out by turning to someone else for advice instead. If
they were someone whom you previously went to for validation,

stop actively seeking it out or asking them for their opinion.
They might continue to offer it anyway since they’re so used to
doing it, and when they do, just thank them and leave it at that.

You don’t have to follow their advice any longer, let it be a case
of in one ear and out the other. Be subtle about setting your
boundaries by doing this in smaller steps if you want to avoid a
confrontation or having to deal with the manipulator demanding
why you’re setting boundaries against them.

How to Invalidate a Conversation You Don’t Want to Deal

With

When you sit there listening to a conversation you don’t necessarily want to

be a part of, you’re validating the other person. You’re telling them that

they’re important enough to demand your time and attention. That they’re

important enough for you to see them, hear them, understand them and care
about them. It’s fine when it is someone you care about, but if the

conversation is taking place with a manipulator, then validating them is the

last thing that you want to do.

Invalidation is considered a form of emotional abuse, and what’s dangerous
about it is how subtle and even unintentional this type of abuse can be.

Manipulators use invalidation on their targets all the time, by denying their

emotions and feelings, making them feel frustrated in the process. This is