Off The Record
5 Strategies for Dealing With the Narcissist in Your Life Once and For All
Do you know someone who is always talking about themselves? When you are with them it feels like everything’s about them. Does this someone do as they please, without regard for others? Do they pretend just to impress others? Do they have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, posing their personality as grandiose?
Well, you might be dealing with what is called a narcissist! These people are full of themselves – overly obsessive, to be exact.
It might seem impossible to deal with them at times. Indeed, it is troublesome to handle narcissistic personalities and one needs to know how to cope with such a situation. If this someone is close to you, it is twice the trouble, so you need to know how to deal with it appropriately.
Whoever this narcissist might be, one thing is for sure: suck it up and confront them with your genuine feelings. Even if it feels like a terrible idea, use these 5 ways to take care of them.
1. Understand that it’s a constant struggle
It’s not like you will never have to deal with them, especially if they are in your circle. You can’t really cut them out of your life. So, you embrace the fact that you will have to wrestle with an encounter with this narcissistic. You mentally prepare yourself to be in that striving position where you have to handle them, listen to them and bear their pretentious attitude.
Another thing you need to understand is that you have to be honest with them. It isn’t possible for you to go on without uttering the truth to them. Be respectful but express your feelings to them because it can’t possibly get any worse than what it already is.
2. Put a stop to their influence over people
Narcissists have a way of charming others with their personality and words. You wouldn’t even realize the impact they have on our thoughts and feelings – possibly, even they might not know about the extent of their influence over others. They have a way with words and these words can have a lasting hold on our thoughts and feelings.
So, you stop allowing them to have this power. You have to be careful when interacting with them and identify the moment they start having an authority over what we think and feel and you put a stop to it right there!
3. Don’t waste your words – just smile and nod
How long did it take you to realize that your words do not really mean anything to them? It might be a harsh revelation but it will come to you eventually. If it hasn’t, let it now become a part of your routine when it comes to dealing with them.
They don’t give a damn about what you have to say so, it’s no use offering them a piece of advice or trying to have a tussle-free conversation with them. So instead, you just smile and nod, pretending to go along with whatever they are saying.
You will also be interested in reading: 12 Signs A Narcissist Is Playing Mind Games With Your Mind
4. Don’t take their remarks to your heart
Narcissistic people tend to make this unconscious effort to dump their shortcomings and losses on others just to make themselves feel better. They don’t have regard for others’ feelings because all they care about is being superior to others. Hence, do not ever take their remarks personally.
Most of the time, they don’t even mean to hurt you and they don’t realize that they are eventually hurting you. You let them say their part and try to remain unbothered. Their reality is distorted by their perception of their own grandiosity.
5. Let them go
Has it come to the point where you can’t seem to put up with their bullshit? It’s okay. Nobody needs such negative people in their lives. It might be hard to cut them loose but you will have to do it if you don’t have the energy to deal with them any further.
You don’t have to go down with them. Yes, you might even feel guilty but you don’t have to. You have to realize the negativity they are bringing to your life and gather the courage to let them go.
If you have had to deal with a narcissist before, you know how exhausting it is. In a fortunate case where you haven’t, be thankful! In case you might have to encounter one at any point in time, you should know how to deal with them effectively.
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