Plenty of people out there need to be in control of others. While some people have an instant knack for not being manipulated, others learn through experience. Whether you’ve been manipulated by a toxic person in the past and learned from those mistakes, or you’ve never been the victim of a manipulative person because you refuse to deal with that nonsense, here are some things you’ve likely experienced because you refuse to let other control you in any way.
1. They know the joys of independence.
Independent people are great at not being manipulated because they know what it’s like to be in control of themselves. Once you’ve gotten past the codependency of certain relationships, you begin to feel a sort of freedom that is hard to let go of. Because of this, you learn to better protect your freedom from manipulative people.
2. They have increased emotional intelligence.
It’s much easier to be connected and in control of your own emotions when you’re free of manipulative people. One of the ways narcissists and other manipulators use to get to you is by going through your emotions and making you doubt your own feelings. Emotionally intelligent people still have all the bad emotions that come with life; they know how to deal with them and move on more succinctly.
3. They have a healthy self-esteem.
Low self-esteem opens you up to toxic people. Healthy self-esteem is a shield against manipulation. You don’t require praise from other people to feel good about yourself, and the negative talk from your haters and manipulators doesn’t affect you in the least.
4. They have a better understanding of boundaries.
Boundaries keep you safe from people who step on your toes and push you around. Some of us don’t know how to stand up for ourselves and uphold our boundaries, but those who do are safe from manipulators’ influences. Don’t be afraid to remind people of your boundaries, and in turn, be sure to respect other people’s boundaries.
5. They can communicate clearly and assertively.
One of the best things about refusing to be manipulated is that you can better communicate with all sorts of people. Assertiveness scares away manipulative people because they can’t get you under their control. When you’re assertive and communicate clearly, you ensure that your life experiences are better and in your own control.
6. They have more authentic relationships.
Because you’re better at making and following boundaries and communicating openly with people, you attract people who are also more authentic and open. You find yourself surrounded by friends who are not interested in manipulation and prefer to live authentically. You’re also not afraid to instantly walk away when someone begins to show any signs of toxicity.
7. They have a better understanding of the value of trust.
There’s something untrustworthy about manipulative people. They want to control people. They think only of themselves. When you’ve learned to push the manipulators out of your life, you begin to see what it is like to be surrounded by trustworthy people who have your best interests in mind.
8. They rely more on themselves than other people.
People who refuse to be manipulated also refuse to fill their lives with people to have friends and followers. When you’ve become independent and assertive enough to keep toxic people at bay, you realize you can rely on yourself more — you’re not being manipulated into doing things that aren’t right for you. We’re not saying you should spend your life alone, but we want to remind you that you got this!
9. They are in control of their lives.
Again, when you’re being manipulated, someone else is doing what they can to control you — they want you to do whatever they say and prefer that you have no mind of your own. People who nix those manipulative pals have more control of their lives, and they also are less likely to have people blaming them for someone else’s downfalls. Don’t let that control go to your head; you don’t want to become the manipulator.
10. They have a strong sense of inner peace.
Swap manipulative people for meditation, and you’ll feel like a guru. People who don’t tolerate toxicity are calmer and find it easier to enjoy inner peace. You’ll also enjoy more outer peace when you’re not always having to argue and put out fires.
11. They see deeper into people and have more empathy.
Manipulative people struggle to see people because they’re too busy molding them into something different. Those who have removed manipulative people from their lives have an uncanny ability to see deeper into people, and they want to get to know people. When a toxic person is controlling you, you tend to display toxic behaviors. When you’re free of that, you experience more empathy.
12. They learn to be more skeptical.
Just like you learn more about trust when you let go of manipulative people, you also learn to be more skeptical in a good way. Rather than seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses, you think critically about the things that happen to you and around you. There’s nothing wrong with asking questions.
13. They make decisions confidently.
With that newfound ability to look deeper into things and people, you’re likelier to make decisions with fewer complications. Perhaps you had a coin you flipped to make decisions, or you always felt like you had to ask for someone else’s input (or you had someone manipulative in your life who made all the decisions for you), but now you are in charge and go with your gut.
14. They thrive in personal growth.
When you’re not controlled by manipulation, you begin to thrive. You have more time for yourself where you can practice self-love and personal growth. The more you grow, the less likely you are to let future manipulators set foot in your personal space.
15. They live more honestly.
Manipulation is a tactic that uses a lot of dishonesty. For those who remove manipulative influences from their life, honesty tends to flow more easily. And, of course, when you’re living an honest life, you attract more honest people to you.
