Covert Manipulation

It is a tragic fact of life that we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. At least, it can seem that way sometimes. How many people do you know who get into the wrong kinds of relationships over and over again? How many people do you know who manage to get free of a job that was stifling their soul only to see them sleepwalk into another right away? Thankfully, we are not slaves to our past. We can make a clean break and make better choices moving forward. This is not easy and requires honesty and the ability to self-examine and learn. We will now explore exactly how to learn lessons following a manipulation and avoid returning to similar situations in the future.One of the keys to understanding a manipulation is not trying to rush the process. After escaping a manipulative situation you will need some time and space to recover from what has happened. Trying to analyze the situation too soon will lead only to disappointment and defeat. Instead, wait until the rawest of wounds from the manipulation have healed. Then, and only then, should you begin the process of trying to understand what has happened to you.So, where to start? At the beginning! You need to think back carefully and clearly to the time before the manipulation began. What was your life like? How did you feel? How did you spend your time? Were you happy or sad? If you need to, speak to people who were close to you in your life at that time. Sometimes, getting the perspective of an outsider is the best way to understand what was going on.When you identify the mentality that led you into becoming involved with a manipulative person and situation you can ensure that you work on these aspects of your character. As the old saying goes, 'prevention is better than cure'. By preventing yourself falling into the same state of mind as you were in before the manipulation you can proactively ensure you avoid this trap in the future. It is also important to look back throughout your life and identify any common themes. Perhaps you often end up with someone who lies. Perhaps you often seem to fall for people who use empty words. By identifying your own personal vulnerabilities you can ensure that if you notice yourself going down that destructive road again in the future you stop yourself before it is too late.Letting a friend know about your analysis is also valuable. This way, they can let you know if they notice you making the same mistakes again. It is better to have an ally in these situations than to feel alone. Jump in and learn more.