#MondayThoughts: Manipulation

“Until you realize how easily it is for your mind to be manipulated, you remain the puppet of someone else’s game.” 
― Evita Ochel

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Lets say you want fish for dinner. You are given so much negative feedback and suggestions about fish until you loose your appetite for fish and opt for what someone else wants. It is easy to allow ourselves to be manipulated (consciously and unconsciously). We have an idea about something we would like to do and we consider all the factors and sometimes we let the factors change our mind. This is giving a situation or circumstance control over us and our decision making skills. Yes, situations can manipulate us into trying to appease and please everyone but ourselves. That is no way to live.

How often have you decide to do something which may or may not affect those around you and you are met with confusion and sometimes hostile attitudes because it doesn’t jive with what others want?  Do you sacrifice your own hopes, goals, dreams, etc., for the sake of making other people feel comfortable? What does this do in the long term? Life is unpredictable as much as we plan and strategize. Things change, situations change, predicaments change. We learn, we grow, our inner perspective expands, change can even take us by surprise. We can become so conditioned to living a certain way that it curves our thinking pattern, almost keeping us from progressive thinking. We are manipulated into thinking that this is the way it is and any other way is impossible. Our growth is stunted.

If there is one thing, one huge fact we know about this life , it is that you cannot make everybody happy all of the time. As hard as we try, we cannot put pieces of happiness in place for everybody. Each of us must find what brings us that happiness consistently.

We can only sacrifice so much of ourselves for the benefit of others. Yes, it is fine to be supportive and want to do and help others but not at the cost of losing yourself completely. You are a living, breathing human being too.

We are committed to living life and living the best life possible. Whatever situation rises up, we try to handle it as best as we can with what knowledge and experience we have. With this in mind, know that situations can manipulate us into believing we are doing something wrong or that we are being selfish and only thinking of ourselves, which is not the case. People can manipulate us directly and indirectly, with their actions, reactions and non reactions and most certainly with their words.

Manipulation comes in different forms and it can alter our perspective and judgment. It is up to you to decide the way to go and not be coerced into going a route you do not want to take.

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photo credit: Pinterest