Category: advice for victims of bullying

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Empowerment: 7 Things that Come with It

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‘Want to know everything that comes with empowerment? Here is everything you need to do to empower yourself against bullying and abuse.

empowerment

Empowerment from bullying is the best feeling ever and I say this from personal experience. However, it comes with some personal responsibility. Why do I say this? Again, it’s because of experience.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn all about empowerment and the responsibility that comes with it. This is so that you’ll know what to do to empower yourself against bullying.

Once you learn all this essential information, you will be more inclined to take the appropriate steps needed to empower yourself and overcome bullying and abuse.

This post is all about empowerment so that you know exactly what to do and the steps needed to get there.

Empowerment

Empowerment. What exactly does it mean and how do you get there? First off, empowerment takes a lot of responsibility. In other words, it takes patience and hard work.

Therefore, before you can empower yourself, you’ll need to take a certain degree of personal responsibility. Scary, huh? Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think. Here’s are 7 things that come with empowerment.

1. Read and Learn all about bullies and bullying.

In other words, do research on bullies and bullying. This means learning all about the mindsets and mentality of bullies.

Learn who they select as victims and why they select these particular people. Also, gain knowledge on the different types of bullies and bullying, the tactics they use, and what to expect from them in any given situation.

Moreover, you must learn what to do if anyone ever targets you for bullying. Learn how to document bullying and do your own investigation. Gain knowledge on the best ways to respond instead of reacting to bullying.

And lastly and most importantly, get abreast on all your bullies’ weaknesses and shortcomings. In other words, find out where their most vulnerable areas are and learn how to exploit them to protect yourself.

Read all you can about bullying. And when you read, you must also think about all the behaviors your bullies have displayed. Then, you can put two and two together.

And once you do, you will finally see the bullies for the pathetic cowards they are. Then, your self-esteem will soar!

2. Empowerment:

Stop Seeing yourself as a victim. Instead, see yourself as a target!

Words have power. What you speak, you’re likely to become. Therefore, change your words and you will change your mindset.

Instead of referring to yourself as a bullying victim, begin saying that you’re a bullying target.

This is the first step in changing your mindset and getting out of victim-mode.  Not only must you learn about the mindsets of bullies, you must also learn about your own mindset as well.

Learn about the mindsets of victims and also the mentality of people who refuse to be victims. The key is to change your own way of thinking too.

Stop thinking of yourself as a victim and you’ll have more control over your life. Also, you’ll have the courage to make your own decisions, even if those decisions upset other people.

However, if you don’t get rid of that victim-attitude, you’ll only continue to allow your bullies to take away your power. Thus, you’ll remain dis-empowered.

As a result, you’ll least likely put in the work to reclaim your power.

3. Get to know your worth.

Knowing your worth means knowing your value as a human being. Moreover, it means knowing who you are and the good you deserve. And, more importantly, it means knowing what you do and don’t like and what you will and will not put up with.

Therefore, when you know your worth, you won’t settle for less than what you want. In other words, you won’t put up with abuse nor will you crawl behind anyone who doesn’t value you.

Instead, you’ll be picky who you associate with. You’ll be selective of your friends and romantic partners. Also, you’ll get rid of the creeps who disrespect you. And you’ll do it without so much as a shred of guilt.

Then your self-esteem will rise significantly.

4. Find your purpose.

Having a purpose is so empowering! However, it requires that you find out what that purpose is. Think back to those childhood inclinations and try to remember what your strongest inclination was.

Did you want to be a singer? A writer? This is one way to find it.

5. Empowerment.

Find your passion.

What do you enjoy doing? What is your favorite hobby? How might it help you to make the world a better place?

If you can answer these questions, then chances are, you’ve found your passion. Therefore, practice it. In fact, indulge in it!

Do what makes you happy and what make you feel alive!

6. Work on your goals and pursue your dreams.

If you do this, you’ll be too busy to worry about what people, especially bullies, think of you. You’ll also be too preoccupied with your own stuff to hate on your bullies.

You’ve got things to do! You don’t have time to worry about them! Moreover, you’ll be doing what fulfills you. Therefore, that is power in and of itself!

7. Love Yourself.

To love yourself is to accept yourself. And to accept yourself is to just be yourself! Therefore, when you love yourself, you don’t worry about who doesn’t. You can just relax and be.

That is also empowering!

Loving yourself also means setting boundaries, even with your bullies. Then, you must enforce those boundaries if anyone violates them. This is self-care. Loving yourself includes taking care of yourself.

Empowerment: It Won’t Come Easy!

 Finding your purpose and passion are wonderful ways to empower yourself. It gives you something to do that will take your mind off the bullying you suffer. Therefore, the bullying won’t have the effect on you that it will have if you only sit around and dwell on it.

However, it won’t come without resistance from those around you. Sadly, when we chose to follow our purpose, passion, goals, and dreams, it can induce jealousy and insecurity, especially in your bullies. Moreover, they will find ways to distract you from achieving your desired outcomes.

Also, getting knowledge of your bullies and of bullying can empower you. In fact, it’s one of the most empowering things you can do. And once you realize where bullying comes from and why bullies do it, it won’t have near the effort on your self-esteem that it once did.

Again, don’t think any of these steps won’t come with some resistance.

So, what are the things bullies and other people will do to get in your way?

1. They will fill you with doubt.

If there’s one thing you should remember, it’s this. Those who fill you with doubt also doubt themselves. When their own self-doubt holds them back, they will project it onto you and hold you back as well.

2. They won’t be as excited about your dreams as you are.

But don’t take it personally. Only a few people in your life will be as excited about your dreams as you and vise versa.

You will only be as excited about the dreams of those you love most and wish well. And bullies will laugh at your dreams. This is a fact of life.

Therefore, don’t let that kill your excitement and don’t let it stop you. Because, if you’re not careful, it’s easy to let their lack of enthusiasm discourage you.

3. Empowerment:

They may go a step further and discourage you.

Bullies may tell you that your goals or dreams aren’t worth pursuing. Maybe, they’ll tell you that you’ll only fail. This can inject fear in your mind and cause you to hesitate taking the first step to success.

Therefore, again don’t let them stop you! Keep going until you reach the finish line!

 Play Mind Games with Yourself If you have to.

Understand that bullies and others only discourage you based on their own failures and limitations. Their negativity comes from their own worldview. And their worldview is that of failure and disappointment.

In other words, their own limited self-beliefs stem from their own lack of success. Moreover, it comes from their observation of those around them who also failed to achieve their goals and dreams.

As a matter of fact, some discourage you because they’re afraid you’ll succeed. And, if you reach success, you might just force them to take stock of their own lack of accomplishment.

But others, who may indeed care about you, may call themselves trying to spare you from the heartache of failure. These are the people who mean well. However, they’re going about it the wrong way.

For example, let’s say you want to go into the music business and bullies are piling on a mountain of ridicule and disparagement.

Empowerment:

Here are some questions you will need to ask yourself.

  • Do these bullies know more about music than you do?
  • Do they understand you as a person? Have they even taken the time to do so?
  • Have they themselves worked hard and achieved any of their own goals and dreams?

If the answer is no, then you should give no consideration to anything they tell you. You must do what you love. In other words, you must follow your purpose and passion.

Otherwise, the desire to do so won’t have an outlet and will only grow. Also, the bullying you suffer will have more of a chance of getting under our skin.

You will only continue to squelch those desires, only for them to resurface. Or worse, you’ll end up living with regret.

Therefore, you must realize that people who are determined to stay in their comfort zones also want you to stay in yours.

Comfort Zones Only Keep You Stuck

Again realize that empowerment comes with personal responsibility. It comes with a ton of mind work and much re-framing. And when bullies are attacking you left and right, it can be extremely difficult to re-frame those attacks and keep that victim mentality from getting a grip on you.

However, if you want to keep your power and move toward a better life, you must refuse to call yourself a victim. Instead, call yourself a target. Because you are a target. But you don’t have to be a victim.

Also, double down in your efforts to reach your goals and dreams.

Empowerment:

The More Bullies Tighten Their Fists, The More Like Water You Become

In other words, you only run through their fingers and out of their hands. You have more power than you know. Your bullies cannot hold you. Why?

Because you only continue to flow over and around them. Understand that sometimes, in their efforts to tighten their grip, bullies only make you defiant or sneaky. As a result, you will find your way around them.

You must refuse to be controlled.

In other words, when your bullies try to silence you and prevent you from speaking against the abuse, you can find another way to communicate. You can choose to write about it instead.

And you do this by keeping a backup journal at home in case bullies steal your primary journal. Also, you can speak out through music and song or through artwork, such as drawings and paintings.

There are so many vehicles through which you can speak out.

Take advantage of the fact that your bullies are flawed humans just like you are. Also realize that they can never read you mind nor control your thoughts.

Other ways to get around your bullies

  • When your bullies trash your reputation at school, make friends outside that toxic school. Befriend kids who don’t attend your school.
  • If bullies have destroyed your chances of getting a date at school, date people from different schools and communities. If you’re eighteen and a senior in high school, date people who are in college.
  • If you’re old enough to have a driver’s license or work after school,  opportunities for an after school job in your community may be nil. However your attempts to get one in the next town will more than likely be successful and you can make many friends there.

Empowerment:

Speaking from my own experience

Here’s the miracle that happened twenty years later when I endured horrible rashes of cyber-bullying. Moreover, some of the attackers online were former schoolmates.

I handled the cyber-bullying with smarts and class. As a result, I ended up making many allies who came to my defense. Moreover, these were people from all over the country! And I’m still friends with them people today.

Yes, sometimes, things may look hopeless. However, they can turn out for the best.

Therefore, if you think hard, there’s always a way around the stigma if you’re bullied. So, do what you must do for self-preservation.

Dig those heels in, double down, and become like water that only runs through your bullies’ hands. Also, don’t give up! There’s always hope!

You must find ways to empower yourself. Also, realize that once you begin working on self-empowerment, the bullying may get worse before it gets better. But don’t stop working at it. Don’t give up or give in. The empowerment process is long but totally worth it in the end!

This post was all about empowerment, what comes with it, and the baby steps you must take to empower yourself from bullying.

1. When You Start Seeing Your Worth, 17 Amazing Changes Happen.

2. Setting Boundaries: 3 Powerful Practices to Hold Your Ground

3. Enforcing Personal Boundaries: 7 Powerful Strategies

4. How to Overcome Self Doubt: 7 Easy Mind Hacks to Achieve Success

5. Defending Yourself from Bullies: 11 Best Defenses

6. Phrases to Shut Down a Gaslighter: 9 Powerful Statements to Use

benefits of self-respect in relationships

Benefits of Self-Respect: 18 Good Results of Treating Yourself Well

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‘Want to know all the benefits of self-respect? Here are eighteen life-changing things that happen when you begin treating yourself well.

benefits of self-respect

Having self-respect can gain you so many advantages in life. It allows you to create the life you want because you know you deserve it. Moreover, others can sense when you have respect for yourself. Therefore, they’re more likely to treat you better.

In this post, you will learn all about the benefits of self-respect and how it can change your life for the better.

Once you learn all these amazing advantages, it will prompt you to treat yourself better and be more choosy of the people you let in your life.

This post is all about the benefits of self-respect and what you must do to treat yourself better.

So, what are the benefits of self-respect?

Self-respect or self-worth is acknowledgement of your own value. In other words, you know your worth and the good you bring to this world and to the people around you.

Moreover, you aren’t afraid to assert your value, your interests, and your right to exist. This means that you also stand up for your right not to be harmed. You know with every fiber of your being that you have dignity and are just as good as the next person.

We show that we have self-respect by what we put up with from others. Therefore, if you put up with shabby treatment from others, you have less or no self-respect. Other people will notice and they’ll begin walking all over you.

On the other hand, if you’re willing to stand up to those who try to mistreat you and set boundaries, than you have lots of it and others will also take notice and they’re likely to treat you well.

You understand that you teach others how to treat you. Therefore, you don’t take any crap from anyone because you believe you deserve better.

And, it is because of this belief that you won’t accept bad treatment from anyone and aren’t afraid to cut a few people out of your life if they keep it up.

This means you have self-respect. Therefore, when you have it, you reap the following benefits.

1. You Have Confidence.

You’re not afraid to live life on your terms and you don’t settle for less than what you want. You have confidence in yourself and in your abilities.

Moreover, you have confidence in God and know that he put you here for a great purpose!

2. Benefits of Self-Respect:

You have Independence.

You do your own thing and aren’t the least bit concerned with how people think about it. Also, you make your own choices and trust those decisions!

You live your life fearlessly and on your own terms! Now that’s what you call freedom!

3. You have Healthy Self-esteem.

You know you’re not perfect, but neither is anyone else. Therefore, you’re completely okay with all your flaws, shortcomings and imperfections.

Moreover, you hold yourself in high regard and refuse to let anyone chip away at your self-esteem. You love yourself. Therefore, you know who you are and what you deserve.

4. You enjoy Better Relationships.

Because you respect yourself, others also respect you. Because you have boundaries, others are least likely to cross them. Therefore, you have better relationships with others.

5. You’re Not afraid to set Goals.

You set goals because you believe in yourself and know that you can accomplish them. Moreover, you realize that the going may get tough and you may have to trudge through a few valleys.

However, you know your own strength. You’re tenacious. In other words, no matter how rough things get, you’ll refuse to give up and that you’ll reach those goals eventually.

6. You set boundaries without fear or guilt.

When some bully tries to cross a boundary, you’re real quick to tell them to back up. You refuse to accept vile treatment from others.

Gaslighting and manipulation will not work on you because you see them as they happen. Therefore, you’re able to shut them down before they have any effect on you.

As a result, bad people will think twice before crossing you and they’ll go find another victim. Even better, others will take notice of it and they won’t try any funny business either.

7. Benefits of Self-Respect:

You live a Healthier Lifestyle.

When you have self-respect, you also have respect for your body. Therefore, you feed it healthy foods rather than junk that will only make you sick and shorten your life.

Moreover, you exercise regularly and keep in shape.

8. You aren’t afraid to take risks.

When you want something, you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone to get it. In other words, you’re willing to face rejection in sales. However, that won’t stop  you.

You’ll only move onto the next potential buyer until you make the sale.

9. Benefits of Self-Respect:

You’re more likely to have success at work.

Because you respect yourself, your bosses and coworkers are also more likely to respect you. Also, they’ll more likely give you opportunities for promotion and bonuses.

10. You don’t settle for less than what you want.

You know what you want and what you deserve. Therefore, you won’t take anything less.

It may take a while, but you will eventually get the thing you want because you won’t give up on it. You believe you can get it. Therefore, you go for the prize!

11. Benefits of Self-Respect:

You don’t allow Yourself to get sucked into drama.

Respecting yourself means protecting your peace from those who wish to disrupt it. So, when some troublemaker starts any drama with you, you won’t have time for it.

Therefore, you’ll only either quietly dismiss them or you’ll tell them to F all the way off and keep it moving.

12. You’re selective of the people in your life.

You only want positive people in your life. In other words, you only want to be around those who lift you up and bring positive vibes.

Moreover, you aren’t afraid to kick out the Negative Nancys and Debbie Downers who only drag you down.

You understand that life’s too short to deal with drama. Therefore, you aren’t afraid to eradicate it from your life.

13. Benefits of Self-Respect:

You say no without apology.

You have boundaries and you know that saying no is how you maintain those boundaries. Therefore, you say it without guilt or apology. Why?

Because you understand that no is the most powerful word in the English language. It’s how you live your life on your terms.

Moreover, you understand that holding your boundaries is an ongoing and never-ending thing.

14. You know who you are and you’re okay with it.

In other words, you allow yourself to make mistakes and you don’t toil over them. You view mistakes as the best teachers and understand that they’re how you learn powerful lessons.

Moreover, you don’t allow anyone else to define you. In other words, if bullies and abusers try to convince you that you’re a nobody, you understand that they can’t possibly know you better than you do.

Therefore, you dismiss their drivel and keep feeling good about yourself.

15. You believe in yourself.

You know in your heart that you have the ability to make shit happen. Therefore, you work hard to achieve your goals and dreams without letting any roadblock or setback stop you.

And you don’t stop until you attain those goals and dreams.

16. Benefits of Self-Respect:

You’re happy and at peace.

Best of all, you’re happy and at peace with yourself. Though you may have some days when you may feel a little down, in general, you’re a happy person. Why?

Because you know that although things may look bleak today, things will be much better tomorrow. Therefore, you have hope for better things to come. And you strongly believe that life will work itself out.

17. You don’t need anyone’s approval.

You’re perfectly fine with the person you are and don’t need validation from anyone else. You know that your own approval is all you need besides that of those who love you.

Moreover, you understand that not everyone will like you and you’re okay with it because there are people that you can’t necessarily care for either.

In other words, you know that life doesn’t depend on who does or does not like you. You have enemies as everyone does and you’re okay with it. Why?

Because you understand that enemies can be a reflection of your virtues and not your shortcomings.

18. You have the ability to cope.

You realize that things go wrong and that it’s all a part of life. Therefore, you have the ability to cope with it and even accept it when adverse things happen. You respect yourself enough to keep in mind that things do eventually get better.

This post was all about the benefits of self-respect and what you can do to treat yourself well and grab some of those advantages.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Be Happy Be Yourself: 3 Benefits You Reap When You Stop Caring What Others Think

2. How to Stop Caring What People Think: 9 Powerful Steps

3. When You Stop Caring: 9 Positive Results You’ll See

4. Your First Line of Defense Against Bullying

5. The Advantages of Having Enemies: 7 Powerful Positives You Can Take from It

Standing Up to Bullies: 7 Ways Bullies React When You Stop Taking Their Crap

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‘Want to know all about standing up to bullies and what happens when you do? Here’s how bullies react when you stand up to them and why you should feel good about it.

standing up to bullies

In movies and television, we see scenarios where targets stand up to bullies and automatically either get left alone or become friends with their former tormentors. However, in most cases, this is not reality. Remember that bullies are relentless.

However, you should feel good about it because, when they act out, your bullies are only revealing themselves.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn all about standing up to bullies and how they react when you finally do. Moreover, you will learn why you should welcome their reactions and how those reactions expose bullies for who they are.

Once you learn all about this life-changing information, you will be able to speak out confidently and handle it properly when your bullies react.

This post is all about standing up to bullies and everything that comes with it.

Standing up to Bullies

You may be afraid to stand up to your bullies and I understand completely. Anytime you stand up to bullies, you’re taking a risk. However, it’s often worth the risk and you end up thanking yourself later.

Just the same, you need to know what to expect once you’ve had enough and decide to take a stand.

If people bully you left and right, you must realize that bullies will not relinquish their power so easily. In other words, they will not be good sports and hand your human rights back to you.

Neither will they bow out of your life gracefully. Bullies have an insatiable need to wield power over you. Why? Because, without that power, they feel lost.

Realize that bullies have no redeemable qualities and they’re losers in life. And since they can’t get power by their own merit, the only way left to get it is by ruining someone else’s life.

Here are the tactics bullies use when you stand up for yourself:

Make no mistake about it. When you kick unsavory people out of your life, they will do the following:

1. They will gaslight you

Bullies will add their spin to it. In other words, bullies will try to convince you that you are at fault or that the abuse is your imagination. Bullies are masters at this, especially female bullies who use feminine charm to deceive bystanders and authority figures.

They might accuse you of being too sensitive. Moreover, bullies may tell you, “I didn’t say it,” or “I didn’t do that.”

Understand that all this is designed to make you question yourself and feel like the villain. Therefore, learn how to recognize gaslighting when you hear it and protect your mind.

2. Standing up to Bullies:

They will lay guilt trips

In other words, your bullies might bring up a past favor they did for you. They may say, “after all I’ve done for you, this is how you thank me?”

Your bullies may not have done anything for you. Moreover, if they did, they only did it for obligation points they can use later.

3. They may recruit followers and start a smear campaign

Bullies are experts at this. By recruiting followers to spread rumors and lies, your bullies use numbers to discredit you. Why? Because the more people they get to say bad things about you, the more likely stranger are to believe them.

They will also try to turn your friends against you. I say this from first-hand experience. Bullies did the same to me many times.

Moreover, it always came as retaliation for my having the gall to stand up to them and assert my rights to defend myself.

Therefore, expect your bullies to malign you to others. And know that they’re only retaliating by trying to destroy your good name and credibility.

4. They will turn your friends against you

Females, although becoming more and more physically violent with time, commit much of their bullying by Dividing and Conquering. In other words, they attack your relationships. And they do this to isolate you by turning everyone against you.

There’s another objective to this as well. Once bullies turn all your friends against you, then, they can gather intimidate details about your life and weaponize them.

Think about it. Your friends likely know your deepest, darkest secrets. They would be the ones to know the most intimate details about your life. Friends are a GOLDMINE of information to bullies.

5. Standing Up to Bullies:

They will project their shortcomings onto you

Bullies have flaws and their greatest fear is having them exposed. What better way to keep their imperfections hidden than to project them onto you?

In other words, your bullies accuse you of the same rotten things they themselves are doing.

6. They will distract others’ attention away from their flaws by pointing out yours

What better way is there to hide their own shortcomings than putting the spotlight on yours? It shouldn’t be so easy but it is!

“Don’t look over here. Look over there!” or “Don’t look at me. Look at them!”

7. They will use Physical Violence.

If none of the previous six tactics work. They will use physical violence. However, they only use this as a last resort because bodily harm is the most detectable form of bullying.

Let’s break it down some more here.

If bullies can’t control you, they will control how others see you.

In other words, if your bullies can no longer have power over you, they will start smear campaigns and try to turn others against you. Understand that they do this to isolate you from everyone.

Bullies use these strategies to cover their backsides. Moreover, they do it to punish you for daring to grow a spine and defend yourself. And thirdly, they do it to close you off from any possible help or protection.

Once the bullies isolate you, they then move in for the kill. Now, they can do whatever they want to you. Moreover, they can do it freely and with impunity.

Why? Because if everyone is against you, the least likely they are to report the bullies or stop them from abusing you.

Remember, your bullies have succeeded in turning people against you. Now, no one can stand you. Therefore, in the minds of others, you deserve the abuse. You’ve got it coming and you’ve had it coming!

Therefore, hell will freeze over before anyone lifts a finger to help you. And this is exactly the outcome your bullies have been counting on.

Figuratively, Your bullies want to hold you hostage.

And they will resort to any means necessary to keep you on emotional lock down. This is how they keep you in your place.

Standing Up to Bullies:

Physical violence is usually a last ditch effort at power and control.

Sometimes, exclusion, subtle digs, verbal assaults, gaslighting and smear campaigns fail to do the job. Or, they may lose their effectiveness and no longer have the impact your bullies intended for them to have.

Therefore, your bullies will then resort to physical violence. The physical violence will go one of two ways:

  • Bullies will commit the bodily harm themselves.
  • They will send someone else to do their savagery for them.

This does not mean that you should not stand up for yourself because you should. However, when you do, be prepared. The torment will get worse before it gets better.

So, be strong. Be brave and know that none of it is your fault.

The Power Dynamic Shifts In Your Favor the Moment You Stand Up to Your Bullies

Anytime you stand up to a bully, you instantly change the power dynamic. In other words, you immediately take your personal power back. At the same time, you automatically put the bully in a position of weakness and inferiority.

In simplest terms, you flip the script and take the position of power over the bully. This is why bullies cannot handle it when you stand up to them. Because they feel that they must always be in the position of power.

Standing up to Bullies:

Bullies can’t handle being stood up to by those they deem beneath them.

Bullies get angry enough when anyone stands up to them. However, if that person happens to be someone they deem inferior and who they’ve grown accustomed to abusing, this is when they really lose their marbles!

This is because you’re most likely on the bottom of the pecking order. And when you finally buck up and grow a backbone, you figuratively trade places with the bullies.

Therefore, you automatically put them on the bottom of the pecking order, if only for that moment. This is what the bullies can’t handle and it’s why they explode with rage.

Their unspoken message is:

  • “How dare you!”
  • “Who are you to stand up to me!”
  • “You’re supposed to be under me and here you are talking and acting like you’re OVER me!”
  • “The nerve!”
  • Who do you think you are!”

Bullies rely on force to get what they want from you.

In other words, they depend on fear, overwhelming strength, and coercion. Bullies have been steamrolling people and getting what they want from them for a long time. In fact, they’ve been doing it for so long that they’ve become arrogant and self-satisfied.

Therefore, when you’ve finally had enough of their gas and put your foot down, you can bet that it’s going to throw them off. And do you know what else it’s going to do?

It’s going to blast a huge hole in their ego. Moreover, it’ll shock the bejeebers out of them. Then the bullies will become highly PO’ed. In fact, they’ll become so angry that they’ll more than likely go from zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds.

If the bully is a person with narcissism (and most bullies are), they will go into narc*ssistic rage. And trust me, you don’t want to be anywhere around when this happens.

Standing up to Bullies:

Stand your ground but be prepared for anything.

It’s best to be prepared. Expect the unexpected.

When you finally grow a spine, expect your bullies to do anything to break it. Therefore, they escalate the bullying when you stop taking their crap.

Bullies have very delicate egos. Moreover, bullying always involves ego. So, any time you tell them to go kick rocks, you undermine their perceived superiority. Even worse, you put them into an inferior position and they know it.

In other words, bullies are very prideful and their pride takes a huge blow anytime you talk back or fight back. And most bullies would rather die than to be made inferior, especially to a little peon like you.

Therefore, be prepared for a battle because your bullies will become vindictive. They’ll seek revenge and they won’t stop coming after you until they get it.

It doesn’t matter if your bullies were the ones who started it because, to them, it doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong.

In other words,  don’t care if they’re the ones who’ve mistreated you all these years. Furthermore, they don’t care that you only want to be left alone.

The only thing they are thinking at this moment is that you challenged them. You are a target and nothing more. In other words, you are beneath them. And you had the gall to undermine their (perceived) authority and superiority.

The nerve! The audacity! The chutzpah!

Keep Standing Up for yourself, no matter what!

In other words, if your bullies keep coming for you, you mustn’t back down. Unless they have a deadly weapon, keep fighting and fighting hard.

Know that you deserve to be safe and to live in peace. And when bullies try to disrupt your peace, you have every right to stand up to them and defend yourself. Because if you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will.

Don’t wait for someone to come rescue you because, chances are, it won’t happen. It’s up to you to take a stand. Your life is your responsibility. That means that standing up to bullies is your responsibility.

You can do it! I believe in you!

This post is all about standing up to bullies, what to expect when you stand up to them, and why you should continue to stand firm no matter what.

1. How to Defend Yourself from Bullies: 5 Powerful Strategies

2. Defending Yourself from Bullies: 11 Best Defenses

3. Your First Line of Defense Against Bullying

4. Setting Boundaries: 3 Powerful Practices to Hold Your Ground

5. Enforcing Personal Boundaries: 7 Powerful Strategies

instigation meaning

Instigation: 3 Ways Bullies Sow Discord Between You and Others

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‘Want to know about instigation and how bullies manage to get you into altercations with other people? Here are the slick ways they do it and how you can respond with strength.

instigation

If there’s one thing bullies are good at, it’s sowing discord between you and others to cause trouble and make it hard for you to make friends and get along with others. Moreover, they do it so stealthily that others don’t notice them doing it.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn the sneaky ways bullies use instigation to get others pissed at you and how you can subtly call it out and respond to it with power.

Once you learn all this crucial information, you will better protect yourself against their wily tricks. Moreover, you’ll save yourself many broken friendships and social hassles.

Instigation

This type of baiting is indirect and extremely cowardly. In other words, these types of bullies don’t have the guts to be direct or the stomach to get their hands dirty. Or, they just don’t care what they do or if others notice because they have ways of insulating themselves from any responsibility.

Therefore, they do their bullying by instigating a conflict between you and another individual. They then stand back, at a safe distance, and watch from afar.

As they watch, they enjoy seeing you get humiliated by someone else.

Moreover, the individual these bullies pit against you probably won’t be the type of person who bullies anyone. In fact, they’ll likely be someone who doesn’t even have a history of conflicts with you.

The person they pit against you will most likely be a stranger, an acquaintance, friend, teacher, or supervisor. Understand that your bullies will do this to divide and conquer.

Also, they do it to break up your friendships, put you on everyone else’s bad side, and ultimately alienate you from everyone.

Baiting

Divide and Conquer

Here’s a list of several reasons bullies bait you using instigation:

  • To create a situation where they can gleefully watch as someone else reams you out.
  • For the purpose of turning others against you.
  • To create drama and entertainment
  • They want to parade you in front of an audience
  • To distract attention from their own evil deeds. In other words, if people are too busy fighting each other and others are too busy watching and getting their kicks, they’re too occupied to pay attention to what your bullies are doing.
  • To isolate you by making you look like the bad guy. The more people the bullies can turn against you, the worse you look, and the less power you have.

Often, when you’re a target of bullying by instigation, the person or people your bullies have pitted against you will start their sentences off as:

  • “Hey! I heard you’re trying to get with my boyfriend!”
  • “Somebody told me that you did…”
  • “I heard you told so-and-so such and such!”
  • “Somebody told me you’re talking smack about me behind me back! How about having the guts to say it to my face!”

Did you notice the first two to three words in each of the bulleted sentences?

Here are your First Clues of baiting by instigation

If you’re a target of bullying and someone has instigated a conflict between you and someone you don’t usually have trouble with, the first words out of your accuser’s mouth will be,

  • “I heard…”,
  • “Somebody told me…”
  • “It’s going around that…”
    or
  • “It was brought to my attention…”

Those first few little words are your first clues of bullying by instigation, and that one or more of your bullies is trying to pit these people against you.

The Correct Way to Respond

Therefore, if you’re a target of bullying and you’re ever in a situation like this, here are a few comebacks you can’t make to the accuser:

Laugh at the accuser and say one of these,

“Really? You ‘heard,’? You’re so gullible you’ll believe anything, won’t you?”
“Wow! And you believed that? Boy, are you a moron!”
“Gee, you’ll fall for anything, won’t you!”

Challenge your accuser’s intelligence, then walk away laughing. Your accuser will be stunned, and your bullies, who are surely watching from afar, will be sorely disappointed.

How I wish I were this quick in school. However, as an adult, I was better able to defuse it by the above counter statements.

Always imply that your accuser is a fool for believing the lies, and I guarantee that the person will back down. Moreover, the bullies will think twice about trying to sow discord a second time.

It’s what worked for me.

There are many ways in which bullies instigate and bait others to participate in the bullying unwillingly.

Here are a few examples of instigation baiting strategies:

The Secret Admirer Bait

Your bullies will use this to bait someone to insult and humiliate you. And they’ll usually do it when there’s a big crowd of people around to see it.

Here’s how it goes:

Your bullies and a few classmates or coworkers will see you either in the halls on the parking lot where large crowds of people may gather in between classes or during break. You’ll be nearby and within earshot.

If you happen to be a female, the bullies will point to a nearby male and say,

“Hey, (your name)! John said he was madly in love with you!”
John will then get on the defensive and say,
“Oh, hell, no! I don’t like that ugly thing!” or, “That whore? No freakin’ way!”

Therefore, by doing this, your bullies slyly bait John into a knee-jerk reaction that includes insulting and humiliating you. They then achieve gratification by seeing John diss and humiliate you. And the icing on the cake is that he did it loudly, in front of an audience.

The secret admirer bait is mostly used in middle and high school. However, immature adults also use it against victims at work.

Instigation:

The Invitation bait

In this situation, the bullies will, all of a sudden and out of nowhere, become chummy with you. They’ll pretend to have a change of heart. Therefore, you must understand that they do this to bring down your defenses and win your trust.

Once they’ve won your trust, the bullies will invite you to a birthday party, cookout, sleepover, or kegger. And, once they lure you there, they will then either set you up for a physical attack, or for humiliation.

Furthermore, they may even encourage you to drink alcohol or do drugs. Then, once they get you drunk or high, they may manipulate you into some compromising situations. Both school-aged and adult bullies use this little tactic.

Knowledge is power

Here are the signs you need to look for.

1. Understand that no one ever becomes true friends overnight. Therefore, if someone who has bullied you suddenly starts to buddy up to you, and it seems to have come out of nowhere, you must see it for what it is.  A red flag!

Moreover, you should steer clear! You can be sure that this creep is up to no good.

2. Also, if bullies are trying to bait you into anything, they will lay the flattery on thick! They’ll overdo the pleasantries. Moreover, it will sound so sickeningly sweet, you’ll want to grab a barf bag.

You’ll know it’s fake if you’re paying attention.

Instigation:

Here’s how you shut these creeps down.

However, be forewarned. Bullies are very convincing. Therefore, if you’re young and still in school, you’re likely to overlook the yuck if you aren’t careful.

So don’t fall for it! Don’t go anywhere with those people. Because once you’re alone with them, you’re at their mercy!

3. The secret admirer bait is a little harder to avoid. Why? Because the bullies aren’t baiting you. They’re baiting someone else to insult you.

Therefore, If you’re a victim of school or workplace bullying and your bullies use the secret admirer bait. They’re likely to trick someone into humiliating you.

If this happens, deal out a good burn for the dummy who allowed themselves to be used by your bullies.

For example, you can say:

“No chance. I could never be that desperate, and you could never be that lucky.”

Then keep walking.

Your witty comeback will sting the poor sucker who took the bully’s bait and tried to insult you. But hey! Better them than you. Right?

It’s always best to have a few good burns lined up and filed away, just in case someone decides to get cute. So, be prepared. Always find a good way to defend yourself.

This post was all about instigation and how bullies use it as a weapon against you. Also, it’s about what to look for and how you can confidently respond to anything your bullies throw at you.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Why is My Bully Being Nice to Me? Here are 5 Reasons to Beware!

2. What Constitutes Bullying and What Doesn’t

3. Why People Bully: 11 Benefits Bullies Reap at Your Expense

4. Physical Bullying: Should You Hit Back?

5. How to Disarm a Bully: 13 Clever Comebacks that Work Wonders

6. How to Spot a Bully: 13 Must-Know Body-Language Examples

Seeking Approval: 5 Must-Know Reasons It Worsens Bullying

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‘Want to know the reasons that seeking approval invites more bullying? Here are all the reasons you must stop this self-defeating behavior now.

seeking approval

Too many victims suffer bullying so frequently and for so long they begin to look for any crumb of validation they can find. They think that somehow, kissing up will win them friends and allies.

But it only ends up doing the opposite. It only gets them doubly ridiculed and bullied. Also, it attracts even more users and abusers into their lives.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn all the reasons that seeking approval only gets you the exact opposite of what you want and how to let go of it.

Once you learn this vital information and put it to practice, you will be amazed at the positive changes that come into your life.

This post is all about approval seeking, how and why it sabotages your social life, and what you can remedy it.

Seeking Approval

5 Things That Happen When you Seek Approval and 3 Ways to Turn It Around

1. You lose your freedom and autonomy to be yourself and to do what you want to do.

In other words, you give away your personal power and become a slave to the thoughts and opinions of others.

You unwittingly put yourself at the mercy and whims of someone else. Therefore, you give away your personal power.

2. You lose sight of your goals and aspirations and replace them with goals of being liked, approved of, and favored by others.

And the fact is, there’s no guarantee that you will be liked, approved of, or favored. Why? Because there’s no way you can control the thoughts, opinions, actions, or words of other people.

You must realize that you are the only person in the entire world that you can control. Therefore, this makes it that much more important that you keep your focus on you.

 Understand that you are your only guarantee. At the end of the day, all you have is you.

3. You stop being creative.

You only become a carbon copy of someone else, their style, and their way of thinking and doing things. When you do this, your creativity suffers. It’s much better to be original!

Think of it like a painting. No one wants a cheap knock off. They’d rather have the original because it’s much more valuable.

4. Seeking Approval:

You copy others.

When you copy others, you give up the ability to think for yourself. Instead of having opinions of your own, you conform to the opinions and beliefs that are most popular.

You say what others want to hear and do what others want you to do and how they want you to do it. In short, you allow yourself to be programmed and become a robot!

Understand that not everyone will like you or support you. And not everyone will want the best from you or for you. Some may, in fact, hate you and judge you harshly. Moreover, they may even derail you from your goals and sabotage your success.

Understand that when you seek validation and approval, you only look for permission from others. And it will leave you feeling controlled and imprisoned.

It’ll also erode your self-esteem. Each time you engage in approval-seeking behavior, you lose a piece of yourself until you completely forget who you are.

Remember the painting analogy. An original painting is more precious than a cheap, knock-off copy. No one wants a copy, they always want the original!

5. Instead of setting your own standards, you only conform to the standards of others (mainly bullies and abusers).

Understand that a bully’s standards are unachievable. Why? Because no matter what you do, who you are, where you’re from, or what you have; bullies will always- always move the goalposts.

In other words, they’ll change the rules, and find something else to use against you. Bullies will even weaponize your best qualities.

Therefore, you should always be yourself, no matter how difficult it may be. Don’t change for anyone. Realize that anytime you conform to someone else’s standards, you only lower your own.

Bullies will always find ways to target you.

Bullies will often make fun of the way you dress- even if you dress fashionably. Therefore understand that with bullies, it’s not about the way you dress. It’s not about your hair, makeup, hobbies, favorite music, family, or anything they make fun of. No!

Seeking approval:

Bullying is about power and control.

It’s about having the power to make you feel bad about yourself. Furthermore, it’s about taking away your confidence, your pride, your happiness, your health, peace of mind, everything that matters.

What if they make fun of your personality?

We all have quirks. Never change your personality. Continue to be yourself. Realize that anything you change to appease a bully today will be ridiculed tomorrow.

Again, bullies have a desire to control you to get that ego boost they’re seeking. So, understand that they get their kicks from making you jump through hoops to win their approval.

And you know what? You don’t need their approval.

Therefore, continue to be yourself and calmly blow the bullies off. Eventually, they’ll get bored and find another target.

Only you know what you like and don’t like. Only you can know what feels right to you and what’s best for you. So, don’t sell yourself short by living up to someone else’s expectations.

They don’t know you the way you do and you’re a separate person from them. Always remember that.

So, how do you turn it around?

1. You start by accepting and loving yourself.

This means embracing all parts of yourself- the good, the bad, and the ugly!

2. Stop Seeking Approval by Counting all the qualities of yourself that you’re proud of.

Everyone has great qualities. Find yours, and list them.

3. Ditch and Switch.

In other words, walk away from the negative people who make you feel bad about yourself. And don’t look back! Rid yourself of the haters, the naysayers, the whiners, complainers, and those with self-defeating attitudes.

Replace them with people who love you, who want nothing but your best. Seek people who lift you up and those you feel safe around.

Choose people who are happy and who take responsibility for their lives. Get rid of those who bellyache and blame others for their misfortunes.

Realize that once you do these things, you might get a lot of push-back at first. Many people get threatened and angry anytime you make positive changes in your life. Therefore, they may give you tons of grief for it.

But realize that people give you a hard time because they were benefiting from your approval-seeking behavior. And trust me! They don’t want to lose those benefits.

Also, understand that we live in a world full of copycats. In other words, most people only conform and seek approval themselves. So, it’s only natural that you get a ton of flack when you finally stop kissing ass.

Therefore, embrace the push-back and keep doing what’s right for you. To hell with what others think about it!

Only you know what’s right for you. No one else knows your inner reality but you. So, trust that and trust yourself.

I guarantee that you’ll be surprised at how it’ll change your life for the better. And you’ll only thank yourself for it later!

Life Begins When We Stop Seeking Approval

Interestingly, the people you seek approval from are mostly people who could care less about you. Even worse, you may seek approval from your bullies.

Therefore, understand that these people have absolutely zero respect for you. And to beg for their approval is counterproductive, not to mention, demeaning!

So, stop begging for validation from people who don’t deserve the time of day from you. Instead, ask yourself these questions.

  • If these people never gave a damn about me, then who are they that I should seek approval from?
  • Who are they that I must impress?
  • Are they really so important that I should pretend to be someone I’m not?
  • Who are they that I have to lie?
  • Who are they that I must expend so much of my effort and energy for?
  • Are these creeps people I should chase and crawl up behind?
  • Who are they that I should beg?

Never Give Anyone Value They Haven’t Earned

Notice those last two questions and the words “chase,” “crawl up behind,” and “beg.” They will immediately jump out at you and may even make you angry.

And you know what? They should. Remember that you’re seeking their approval.

Therefore, those three things are basically what you’re doing. Never seek approval from bullies, abusers, or anyone who neither respects you nor gives a crap about you.

Why? Because, when you do, you are, in a sense, giving them value they haven’t earned.

If, at any time, you must suppress parts yourself to gain acceptance from another person, you short change yourself.  Realize that bullies will never add value or benefit to your life.

Therefore, they haven’t earned the honor and privilege of being in your life. They don’t even deserve to be in your presence.

When you submit to and follow the standards of others for the sake of validation and acceptance, you only lower your own standards.

Stop Seeking Approval from Anyone Who Isn’t Worthy of you.

In other words, stop busting your butt to impress others because you don’t need validation from them. Their opinions need not apply.

If anyone ever tries to impose their rules and standards on you, especially if they aren’t an asset to your life, you have not only a right but an obligation to yourself to tell that person to go crawl back under the horse-apple they wormed and wiggled their way from beneath.

Stop giving these creeps things they have no business having – your power and your freedom! And stop handing them control over your life! These are things they have no right to.

Your personal power and freedom are yours and yours alone. And if you give away those precious commodities, your bullies will only exploit, use, and abuse them.

However, once you take them back, your life will only get better. Take it from me. I’m living proof.

Life begins when you stop caring about their opinions and begin living life on your terms. Try it. I guarantee that you’ll thank yourself later!

Don’t you know you deserve to be happy?

This post is all about seeking approval and why it only exacerbates bullying.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Disadvantages of Being a People Pleaser: 7 Consequences of Putting Yourself Last

2. How to Stop Being a People Pleaser: 5 Powerful Steps

3. When You Start Seeing Your Worth, 17 Amazing Changes Happen.

4. Never Chase People Who Don’t See Your Worth

5. Lack of Boundaries: 15 Signs You Need to Get Some

How to Make Friends When You Have None at School or at Work

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If bullies have destroyed your reputation, ‘want to know how to make friends when you have none? Here are all the ways to do so that I and many others swear by.

how to make friends when you have none

To feel better about themselves and keep from feeling powerless, too many targets of bullying resort to bullying others who are even more vulnerable than them. And it’s not right.

In many cases, targets of bullying who bully, or “bully-victims” bully not because they want to. They bully because they feel like they have no choice.

In bullying, bullies unwittingly teach their targets that to degrade and disparage another person is what it takes to stay on top or off the bottom! And let’s face it, nobody wants to be on the bottom.

One of the uglier characteristics of humans is that everyone wants to be better than somebody! The attitude is that if you’re not above somebody, anybody, then who are you better than?

The sad reality is that people equate not being better than someone, even if it’s only one person, with being powerless. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is.

But just the same, they do it because they don’t believe there’s any other way to stay out of the basement and boost their self-esteem.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn how to make friends when you have none. This goes for those who’ve been bullied and defamed so badly that what friends they once had turned against them.

Once you learn all about these tips and tricks, you will begin to create a good social life. Also, you’ll know what it takes to be a friend, not only make a friend.

This post is all about how to make friends when you have none so that you can be a good friend to others and not only enrich your life, but the lives of others.

How to make friends when you have none

What if I told you that there was a better way to create a good social life? What if I told you that you could feel better about yourself without bullying other targets to make yourself feel better.

Also, what if I told you that there were better ways of eliminating the low self-esteem that your bullies have instilled in you for so long?

How you do it is to be a friend.

In other words, instead of targeting more vulnerable people, how about connecting with and befriending them? Because they get bullied just like you. They may get bullied worse than you. You never know.

And let’s face it. No one person is an island. There’s no way you can have even a little bit of power by yourself.

We’d like to think that we can survive and do anything in this world just fine by ourselves. Moreover, we’d also like to think that we don’t have to depend on anyone, but that’s not reality.

The reality is that power means relationships. And we all need people as loved ones, friends, and allies.

Therefore, make friends with those who are weaker than you! Stick up for those people and be their buddy instead of their bully. Make them feel good about themselves and encourage them to stick up for themselves and to realize that they too matter in this world.

How to make friends when you have none:

1. Befriend others who are bullied or have no friends.

Think about it. These people need a friend and so do you. Therefore, befriending them would be a win-win situation!

Moreover, if bullies bully them too and they aren’t as strong as you are, they may need you to have their backs. They also need someone they can trust and look up to.

You must might bolster their confidence and they’ll in turn, not only have your back too, but they’ll also be more emboldened to stand up for themselves. Why? Because you may help them to raise their confidence level.

These people will need you and depend on you, and that’s what you want.

Therefore, instead of seeking approval from your bullies, befriend other victims they may have harmed. Why?

Because you’ll all have common ground and that’s what’s needed to make friends.

Never seek approval from your bullies or their followers. NEVER!

Why? Because you never want to build a power base with people more powerful than you are. They’ll only eat you alive!

Moreover, if they’re stronger than you, how can you expect them to depend on you? To make friends in your situation, you must look for people who will count on you. And they have to in some way, shape, or form, need you.

Therefore, the “weaker” victims will be the ones who must have you around to ensure their safety. Moreover, they’ll need you to validate their importance and their deserving of love and friendship.

They will need a friend, protector, and advocate. And you can be those things to them!

It’s much smarter to seek out and make friends with the “weaker” targets and create a relationship on their dependency on you. Because when you do, you become their pillar of strength. You become their voice and their backbone.

2. How to make friends when you have none:

Leverage their needs, your needs, and what you can do for people who are just as friendless as you.

Here’s the rub.

Because the other victims are more vulnerable, they’ll know that to turn their backs on you would be to do so at their own risk. Throwing you under the bus would only bring them hardship and pain.

In a friendship like this, you will have the power. Therefore, don’t use that power to bully them because you’re being bullied and want to feel powerful.

Instead, use it to promote solidarity with them, uplift them, and have their backs! Use your power to make them feel good about themselves and to help them build their confidence. I guarantee you that you’ll make life-long friends of them if you do it this way.

And if ever you need something done, you won’t have to use force to get your new, less powerful friends to help you out. They’ll be more than happy to oblige because you’ll be their fearless leader.

Moreover, you’ll be their protector, and the last thing they’ll want is to lose you. They’ll know that without you, they’d be in a pickle.

The beauty of this is that you and all the other victims will become a group. You’ll band together and become as one. And you’ll gain strength from your numbers. And, who knows, your new friends may have knowledge about the bullies that you can use to your advantage.

I promise you that things will only get better once you put this into action. And the only things you’ll have to lose are your low self-esteem and your feelings of powerlessness!

3. How to make friends when you have none:

Meet new people outside of the school or workplace.

How you do this is to join a club or take a course. However, if you do these things, make sure the club or course is in something you’re genuinely interested in. Don’t only do it to make friends because it won’t work out if you do.

The trick here is to find people who share the same interests that you have. Therefore, if you’re into music, join a music club. Or, if you enjoy math, take a math course.

This is how you establish common ground with others. Only then will you make friends, and possibly life-long ones.

4. Don’t be afraid.

In other words, don’t shy away from the possibility of rejection. Remember that bravery isn’t the absence of fear, it’s staring fear in the face and doing it anyway.

So, put yourself out there. Step out of your comfort zone and take risks.

5. Seek to Be A friend and not only to make one.

Zig Ziglar once quoted,

“If you go out looking for friends, you’re going to find they are very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”

Therefore, make friends for the right reasons and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results! You must be a friend before you can make one.

6. How to make Friends When You Have None:

Be yourself.

This is, perhaps, the most important rule of all. I’ve found that being yourself naturally and effortlessly weeds out the fakes and the snakes and attracts the true friends into your life.

Therefore, don’t try to impress anyone by being someone you aren’t. Be yourself, completely and you’ll attract the friends who are the right people for you.

7. Find people You Share something in common with.

Establishing common ground is most important because people usually befriend those they have the most in common with.

This is just human nature. Therefore, use it to your advantage!

8. Watch out for snakes.

Toxic people are everywhere! Moreover, they’re always on the hunt for someone to use and abuse. Therefore, always be observant. Pay attention to body language.

And if you have a feeling in your gut that something is off about a person, listen carefully! Because your gut or your intuition, whatever you wish to call it, is never wrong!

This post was about how to make friends when you have none so that you can establish a social life more easily while, at the same time, avoid predatory people.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Bullying and Self Confidence: 7 Steps to Keeping Your Confidence Up When People Bully You

2. Knowing Yourself: Why it’s the First Step in Building Confidence

3. Your First Line of Defense Against Bullying

4. How Does Bullying Affect the Victim’s Friendships?

5. Choose Your Friends Wisely: 9 Criteria to Judge by

why people bully others

Why People Bully: 11 Benefits Bullies Reap at Your Expense

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‘Want to know why people bully and the benefits bullies reap at your expense? Here are the things your bullies feel they have to gain from bullying you so that you can call it out and bust them.

why people bully

If you’re a victim of bullying, you probably wonder what it is your bullies have to gain from bullying you. Therefore, here are the exact benefits your bullies get at your expense and what you can do to protect yourself.

In this post, you will learn why people bully and exactly what it is that motivates them.

Once you learn all about the psychological payoffs of bullying, you will be able to more clearly call out their behavior so that you will have a better chance of defending yourself.

This post gives you all the reasons why people bully so that you can know what motivates your bullies and call it out by name.

Why People Bully

Someone came to me with a burning question that I used to ask all the time. I am certain that millions of people worldwide have asked the same question, “Why do People Bully?”

There are many answers, and they all depend on the individual bully. Therefore, before we get into the reasons for bullying and the benefits bullies look for, let’s discuss three different types of bullies.

1. Spoiled, Coddled bullies with Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

These kinds of bullies bully because they are arrogant and overconfident. They truly believe that they are superior to you and better you and anyone else.

Therefore, they’ll stop at nothing to let you know who’s boss. You must understand that these creeps are self-entitled, self-serving, and have no empathy.

With these types, the ends always justify the means. They do everything possible to keep the spotlight on themselves and hog all the attention. Moreover, they consider themselves highly privileged.

Also, they’re jealous of anyone who outshines or outdoes them in any way. Why? Because they believe that any happiness, successes, accolades, and victories should be reserved for only them.

Therefore, if you have a talent that brings you recognition, look out! Because these bullies will punish you for it. And they will pull out all the stops to crush your self-esteem and kill your confidence to bring you down.

You’ll often find these people in the popular and preppy crowd at school. Also, they’ll be in the “Good Ole Boy” clique at work. Moreover, these bullies will often be jocks, cheerleaders, and sorority/fraternity nuts at school. They may also work in management or be one of the suck-ups at work.

2. Why People Bully:

Hurting and Victimized Bullies (Bully-Victims)

These bullies bully because they are being bullied themselves. The abuse could be happening either in the home, at school, in the workplace, or all three.

These aggressors feel powerless. Therefore, to reclaim some of the power that has been stripped away from them, they bully those even weaker than they are.

Bully-victims have a strong need to feel like they have control over something in their lives.

Here’s an example:

A child is yelled at by his parents, then he gets mad, goes outside, and kicks the dog. This is why I call this type of bullying, “Kicking the Dog.”

Moreover, no one wants to be at the bottom of the pecking order. As the age-old saying goes, “Shit rolls downhill and lands at the bottom.”

So, to stay off the bottom, these types will often find someone else to bully, so they don’t feel like they’re the ones stuck in the basement.

Just as people fight to stay on top of the social hierarchy, there are also those who fight just as hard to stay off the bottom. Hence, the reason victims of bullying often become bullies themselves.

3. Why People Bully:

Bullies who Are Followers, Drones, and Wannabes

These bullies are to be pitied because they are quite pathetic when you really think of it. This is because they will suck up to the in-crowd (the narc bullies).

Therefore, they do this by either bullying those lower on the social totem pole. Or, they’ll simply join the popular bullies in tormenting you.

Figuratively, when a person from the in-crowd tells them to jump. These wannabes will ask, “How high?” Moreover,  these people often become followers, minions, groupies, and flying monkeys.

They’ll do the dirty work of the bullies with narcissistic personality disorder. In other words, they’ll serve as their yes-men.

However, understand that these people are only kiss-butts and brown-noses. They’re only bully you hoping for acceptance into the popular crowd.  Also, they do it because they’re afraid of becoming the next target.

Different people bully for different reasons. When we can distinguish the reasons each bully bullies we can better prepare and protect ourselves.

Why people Bully:

What are the benefits Bullies gain at your expense?

Understand that the laws of human nature dictate that no one does anything without some sort of psychological payoff. Therefore, bullies reap several benefits at your expense if you’re a target. Here is a list of those benefits:

1. A sense of power

Simply put, bullies bully for power, control, and domination. Therefore, anytime a bully takes you down, they get a tremendous rush of power. They also become addicted to that rush.

This is why bullies never bully once. They always come back for more. It’s no different from having a drug addiction. The evil actions, cruelty, and power become a drug in and of themselves.

Also, as with any drug, the same tactics and frequency of bullying lose their potency after a while. Therefore, the bullies must escalate the torment to keep getting the rush they crave.

For example, when name-calling and verbally abusing you lose their thrill, your bullies will grow bored with it. Therefore, your bullies will often escalate the abuse.

They’ll resort to either cruel pranks, humiliation, or physical assault and battery to keep getting the rush they look for. It’s the same as when a junkie builds a drug tolerance and begins taking higher doses.

2. Why People Bully:

Popularity

Bullies bully because, sadly, many people think it’s cool or cute. Therefore, they see it as a means for increased social status.

‘You see? Bullying gives the bully lots of attention and visibility. Bullying isn’t only a way for bullies to exert power but it gains them the popularity they crave.

 And sadly, it works like a charm. The reason it works so well is that the bullies’ social status is increased, while yours is reduced.

Moreover,  having the respect and admiration of their peers is of more value to some people’s sense of self-worth than money and material wealth.

Although one can achieve elevated social status through wealth and material things, it can also be attainable though bullying if your bullies are dead broke.

On the other hand, if the bully does have money and material wealth, the social status he gets from bullying is just icing on the cake. In other words, it’s not something he feels he must do. It’s something he wants to do because he thinks it’s fun.

3. To Compensate for a shortcoming

We’ll use a lack of money and material wealth, for example.

Most bullies don’t have a lot of money. And these are the types who achieve social status through exploitation of your mistakes, flaws, and shortcomings.

Bullying is not a healthy way to achieve social status. Therefore, a healthy way of increasing one’s social ranking requires some type of achievement.

The achievement could be joining a positive movement or donating to a charity. However, one tiny mistake can instantly tarnish one’s reputation and all the good they’ve done.

The world is, sadly, quick to blame a person for any negative qualities or actions while slow to forgive or to give credit for good deeds. Moreover, bullies instinctively know this and take full advantage of it.

However, the only way that broke bullies can excel up the social hierarchy is by demeaning others. And they do it by taking the tiniest mistake you make, adding to it, and blowing it up to decrease your social ranking.

4. Why People Bully:

Superiority

Bullying gives the bully an appearance of strength. Moreover, it sends a message to you and others that he’s a badass, and that they’d be a fool to mess with him. The bully also gives the appearance that he’s top dog.

Therefore, your bullies will torture you to keep up that facade.

5. Attention and Sympathy

Many people do it to distract others’ attention away from their own behavior. Therefore, if the bully can make you look the devil reincarnate, people won’t pay so much attention to her evil deeds.

For example, if she picks a fight with you and you stand up to her, she can make you look like the villain. Afterwards, she gets to enjoy the attention and bask in the sympathy others give her.

6. Distraction from their own shortcomings

Bullies are experts at making you look weak and pathetic. If the bully can distract everyone else’s attention to your weaknesses, he can keep the spotlight off his own defects.

Why? Because if people expect to see trouble coming from a specific place, that’s where they’re going to look.

7. Why People Bully:

Projection of their own flaws onto someone else

Bullies have a flare for accusing you of the same deplorable shit that they do themselves. Therefore, if your bullies can make you look like the troublemaker, then they can go unpunished.

 Moreover, they can continue to attack you freely and with impunity. Again, this also takes the focus off their own misdeeds.

8. The satisfaction and gratification of seeing you suffer

Your bullies love to see you suffer. For them, your misery is entertainment and gives them a rush of power. In other words, just knowing that they can determine how you feel and how your day goes gives them a feeling of dominance.

Therefore, don’t give them the satisfaction. Be a waste of time and energy to them. The way to do this is to see your bullies for the weak wusses they really are.

Realize that bullies bully because they’re great big cowards. They have no persuasion skills. In fact, they have no redeemable qualities. Therefore,  the only way they cam be effective is to bully their way through life.

Keep this in the back of your mind.

9. To tighten the bonds in their group

By tormenting you, bullies garner support from others who are just like them and who share the same values. After all, bullying is most effective in group situations, where people unite to serve a certain objective.

Therefore, know that bullies never work alone. They always have people backing them.

Group bullying gives talentless bullies a sense of belonging. Also, it tightens the bonds among members of the group.

Furthermore, this collective bullying also makes them more successful in bringing you down than if the bullies worked alone.

Another advantage to group bullying is the mob mentality it produces. It’s a dark part of human nature that people conform and imitate the behaviors of other members of the group. Therefore, in groups, bullies have more power and can make a much bigger impact.

Bullies Never Work Alone, They’re Too Cowardly

10. Why people Bully:

They Can’t Achieve Social Power any other way.

Understand that people who bully others to achieve social gain can never achieve it any other way.

These types of people are the talentless, the lazy, and the incompetent. Moreover, they have no redeemable qualities, no personalities, and no real intelligence.

You must see these bullies exactly as they are – empty suits with zero substance. And, once you see them clearly, your confidence won’t take such a big hit when they come for you.

11. They See Bullying As An Aphrodisiac

That’s what bullying is to bullies, an aphrodisiac. In other words, it’s the only way these people can feel good. Again, hurting you is like a drug to them. It’s highly addictive because it gives them a massive rush of power.

You must understand that targeting others for bullying is how they find meaning in their lives. And the only excitement they can add to their meaningless lives is through mistreating you.

In short, bullies bully because they enjoy it.

People crave power, fame, notoriety, and influence- even the best of them. But most can get those through love, through their hobbies, jobs, talent, and creativity.

On the other hand, bullies don’t have these things going for them. Some might have jobs but aren’t satisfied in their positions. So, they abuse people instead.

And once you’re no longer available to them because you either quit or move away, the aphrodisiac isn’t there anymore. So, what will they do?

They’ll search for a new victim to get their next fix.  Moreover, they may even turn on one of their friends if they can’t find a target outside their peer group.

Why People Bully:

It’s Not You, It’s Them!

If you’re a target of bullies. You are not the one with the issues.

Your bullies are the ones who have the problems. They are the ones who are mentally unbalanced. Therefore, they are the ones who belong in mental institutions.

However, they only hide it behind their undermining and degrading of you and others. Realize that they’re only projecting their problems onto you.

Your bullies are using you as a distraction. And they have to work hard at it, which doesn’t make for a good life.

Always remember that, and their insults and stupidity won’t bother you as much. I promise you!

This post was about the reasons why people bully and where their abuse comes from so that you can know what bullies are really about and have more confidence in yourself when they come for you.

1. Why is Self Acceptance Important? 21 Must-Know Reasons

2. What is a Crybully and How Do You Spot One?

3. Physical Bullying: Should You Hit Back?

4. School Choice: Why it’s a Godsend for Bullied Kids!

5. How to Disarm a Bully: 13 Clever Comebacks that Work Wonders

How to Overcome Self Doubt: 7 Easy Mind Hacks to Achieve Success

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‘Want to know how to overcome self doubt? Here are the time-tested mind hacks you need to know about.

how to overcome self doubt

When it seems that bullies attack you from every direction, it doesn’t take long for you to begin doubting yourself. As someone who’s been there and triumphed, I’m giving you the proven steps you need to know to overcome self doubt.

In this post, you will learn all the mental tricks you need to go from doubting yourself to believing in yourself.

Once you learn all these clever mind exercises, you will slowly develop the self-belief you need to stand up to bullying and gaslighting. Moreover, you will feel more confident than you thought possible.

This post shows you how to overcome self doubt using the psychological techniques below so that you can grow more confident and live a happier and more productive life.

How to Overcome Self Doubt

Before we get into the mind hacks, let’s discuss the relationship between being bullied and doubting yourself and how it can negatively alter your life.

Many victims of bullying are filled with self-doubt. However, it isn’t only bullying victims that suffer this malady.

Self-doubt ranks right up there with fear. It’s a close second to it as it kills your dreams and causes you to live in mediocrity. Therefore, fear and self-doubt are the catalysts to life-failure. So, please don’t let this happen to you.

Many have been bullied so long that doubting themselves has become like second nature. Understand that abuse has a way of resetting your default mode from confident to diffident.

And once that default has been changed, it’s much more difficult to change it back. Therefore, this is one of the reasons why bullying is so devastating for a target.

To put it simpler, once you’re bullied, it changes you. Either it turns you into a scared, helpless victim, an angry and bitter monster, or an empty shell.

You can overcome it and still, you won’t be the person you once were.  Moreover, even if you do the inner work, get to know yourself again, win back your confidence, and manager to heal, you’re still not the same.

You’re stronger, yes. You’re a winner, yes. But I’ll say again, you’re still never the same as you were before you were bullied. Therefore, there will be times when you’ll feel self-doubt creep back in and have to fight it.

How to overcome self doubt: It’s an ongoing battle.

In other words, you don’t just conquer bullying, get confident again and say, “Whew! I won! I’m glad I don’t have to worry about self-doubt or bullying again!”

Why? Because you will at some point. There will be times when that unwelcome and uninvited guest, Mr. or Ms. Doubt will quietly try to slither their way back. Situations in life will trigger it and you will have to fight it.

It’s an ongoing battle. You might experience lulls, where you feel so self-assured that you don’t believe you could ever doubt yourself again. Moreover, these feel-good periods may last days, weeks, months, even years

However, circumstances will arise and unsavory people will come into your life to bring that old devil back again. And, once again, you will have to fight with everything you have to kick that pesky, uninvited guest out.

Self-doubt comes with many symptoms. They include lack of confidence in yourself, your appearance, your abilities, and your potential.

Additionally, lack of self-belief  breeds lack of self-determination or, Learned Helplessness. It also comes with anger, sadness, depression, feelings of jealousy, and later, regret.

Giving into self-doubt is dangerous because it has a huge negative affect on your life. In fact, it can absolutely destroy your future. So, how does self-doubt effect your life? It does so in several ways:

1. It zaps your motivation and inspiration.

When you think you can do nothing right or can’t be very effective, you won’t want to try at anything. Why? Because you’ll be so fearful of failing.

Without motivation nor inspiration, you’ll either never do anything at all or you’ll do just enough to get by and that’s it. Instead of living, you’ll only end up existing.

Instead of being successful at life, you’ll only squeeze through it by the skin of your teeth. In other words, you’ll end up in toxic relationships that don’t fulfill you. Also, you’ll bust your tail in dead-in job after dead-end job.

Consequently, you’ll have nothing to show for it in the end.

2. If you don’t learn how to overcome self doubt, It Will cause you to miss opportunities.

When you constantly doubt yourself, you’ll be blind to your chance opportunities and let them pass you by. This will only lead to a mountain of regret later.

There’s nothing that feels worse than knowing you had an good opportunity and missed it because you didn’t see it.

3. It gives you a defeatist attitude.

Self-doubt can morph into the acceptance of failure. Moreover, it can cause you to give up too soon and forfeit success.

Understand that challenges are the most difficult right before your breakthrough and this is when most people give up. In other words, most throw in the towel when success is just around the corner.

Also, once you get into the habit of giving up, you’ll see no point in trying at anything anymore. Therefore, you will only see more failure and defeat.

Finally, you’ll end up with the attitude that you can never reach success. You’ll feel that nothing meaningful or positive can ever come your way.

Moreover, you’ll feel as if God has cursed you, is punishing you and that His will is for you to suffer without ceasing.

This is the absolute wrong attitude to have.

4. Not knowing how to overcome self doubt only stunts your growth, and keeps you feeling “stuck.”

If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t grow as a person. You’ll only  feel like a victim of circumstance. As a result, you’ll feel helpless to change any of the things you don’t like about your life.

In other words, you will feel that no matter how hard you try, you can never accomplish anything.

5. It causes you to procrastinate.

Because you think you’re going to fail anyway, you dread even trying. Therefore, you put off everything until tomorrow. And, day by day, you keep putting off the things you know you need to do.

Consequently, you let it all pile up until the problem becomes so big it overwhelms you.

So, how do you stop doubting yourself? And how do you continue to work bravely on your goals no matter how long it takes to achieve them?

Overcoming self doubt starts in the mind.

Here are the 7 mind hacks to help you stop doubting yourself.

1. Remember how far you’ve come.

In other words, congratulate yourself for making it this far. Doing this will encourage you to go the entire distance and finish the race.

2. Remember the battles you’ve fought and won.

This includes the small wins that are barely noticeable. Moreover, keep in mind that little victories lead to big victories!

3. Remember the fears you’ve faced and overcome.

For example, if you were afraid of water when you were five and you overcome it by taking swimming lessons. Go back to that memory anytime you feel scared of doing something you know you must do.

Remember the quote, “Courage is not the absence of fear, it’s acting in spite of fear.”

4. Remember all the bullies and mean people you’ve overcome.

In other words, remind yourself that you’re still standing even after so many people tried to bring you down. That is a victory in and of itself!

5. How to overcome self doubt: count your blessings.

This means counting the good things that have ever happened to you in your lifetime. You’ll be surprised when you find that they are so many that you can’t count them all.

6. Remember all the things you’ve accomplished- even the tiniest of assignments and projects you’ve completed.

Whether you finish the Fall cleaning of your house, got a good grade, or learned to ride a motorcycle, it’s a win and you must see it as one. Therefore, count your victories, no matter how insignificant they may seem. A win is a win.

7. lastly, believe that if anyone else can do it, you can too.

Seeing someone else succeed can be a huge motivator. Therefore, instead of being envious, let the other person’s victory give you encouragement to keep trying.

Understand that we all come to roadblocks and hit brick walls. Moreover, we all have our down times and, sadly, sometimes those bumps in the road can cause us to doubt ourselves from time to time.

However, don’t you dare quit. If you need to rest, than rest. Even the Energizer Bunny has to recharge his batteries at some point.

The trick is to get up, dust yourself off, and keep pushing on. The difference between those who succeed and those who fail is whether they give in to self-doubt and give up or push it away and keep going.

In conclusion

No matter what bullies have told you nor how many times you’ve faced adversity, you can overcome self-doubt. It may take a while and you make need to work hard and fight many battles but you can overcome it.

Know that you have the power to change the way you think. Many people who grew up in extreme poverty or abusive homes have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, famous writers and inventors. Therefore, know that the same power is within you too.

You can change your life.

This post was all about learning how to overcome self doubt so that you can change your life for the better.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Knowing Yourself: Why it’s the First Step in Building Confidence

2. Bullying is Abuse: 9 Ways Bully and Abuse are The Same

3. How to Overcome Victim Mentality: 5 Proven Mind Hacks

4. How to Stop Caring What People Think: 9 Powerful Steps

5. How to Overcome Low Self-Esteem: 7 Insanely Easy Ways

how to disarm a bully at school

How to Disarm a Bully: 13 Clever Comebacks that Work Wonders

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‘Want to know how to disarm a bully so that you can keep your personal power and maintain your dignity? As someone who has overcome bullies this way, I’m giving you the most powerful comebacks that every target of bullying must know about.

how to disarm a bully

Verbal and emotional bullying poisons the minds and the lives of so many victims each year. But what if you could instantly come back with a quick, calm jab? One that throws your bullies off balance, while preserving your dignity, self-esteem, and personal power?

You’re going to learn how to disarm a bully with calm and smart, but ego-deflating comebacks that will leave you standing strong and your bullies, stunned.

Once you learn all these empowering comebacks, you will be ready for any insult, zinger, or smart remark any bullies hurl your way.

This post is all about how to disarm a bully so that you can buffer yourself from even subtle verbal attacks and battle bullying with confidence and poise.

How to disarm a bully

Lets face it, bullies are creative and inventive when it comes to hurling insults and subtle jibes. Moreover, they have a flare for delivering the most brutal and humiliating burns.

Worse even, bullies often do it in public to humiliate you in front of everyone and their mother. Therefore, they blindside you, leaving you shocked, speechless, mortified, and desperately trying to think up a good comeback.

Fortunately, here are a few comebacks you can you use to disarm these brutes and throw them into a tailspin.

1. “Someone must have really hurt you in your past.”

This shifts the blame where it belongs. Onto the bully. By implying that they are an angry, bitter person, you softly and subtly jab them with an insulting comeback without being too noticeable.

In that, you keep your power and make the bully appear weak in front of others while keeping your dignity and self-respect. This little zinger keeps you on the winning end while exposing the bully for the miserable individual they really are. YAY, YOU!

2. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

This comeback allows you to apologize without accepting any blame. Moreover, it implies that the bully is the one with the problem and not you.

Therefore, use this comeback when a toxic person calls you a name or hurls an insult.

3. How to Disarm a Bully:

Come back with, “You must have a pretty miserable life.”

Like comeback number 1, this keeps the negative spotlight on the bully by implying that they have no control over their life. Moreover, it suggests that they are only trying to compensate for it by trying to control how you feel about yourself.

Ouch!

It saves your dignity while making the bully look like a weak little punk. Therefore, you win with this little dig because you preserve your personal power.

4. “You don’t have to behave like this to impress people.”

Yikes! With this comeback, you imply that the bully is trying to show out. And a show-off is an insecure person who isn’t happy just being themselves.

In other words, you call the bully a poser without actually using those words. You put the obnoxious person in their place while keeping your dignity.

You little wiseacre, you! Way to go!

5. “Does it make you feel bigger to act like a jerk or are you trying to impress people?”

With this comeback, you more directly call the bully out on their behavior. Moreover, you plant the seed in the minds of anyone around that they either don’t feel good about themselves unless they’re making others feel badly, or they’re trying to show off.

In that, you deflate the bully’s ego. And, if there’s an audience around, all the better for you and worse for the person trying to put you down.

6. How to Disarm a Bully:

“There are other ways of getting attention besides being a (jerk, asshole, etc.).”

Ouch! You’re directly saying that your instigator is trying to get attention. And attention-seekers are pathetic! All the while, you keep your power and your dignity.

Moreover, others will snicker at the bully when you deliver this little stinger.

7. “I wonder what happened to you that turned you into such a (jerk, heel, etc.).”

With this comeback, you imply that the bully is weak and powerless while empowering yourself.

8. “I’m sorry someone hurt you. But that person wasn’t me.”

Again, you make the bully look weak and powerless while making them look miserable and bitter too. Two insults in one!

Moreover, you make yourself look like the smarter person and maintaining your dignity.

9. How to disarm a bully:

“Someone must have really screwed you over in the past. Otherwise you wouldn’t be this angry, bitter person.”

As with the others, you shift blame back to the bully while keeping your dignity. Moreover, you do it by implying that the bully is bitter because someone made them feel powerless and insignificant in the past.

This is how you put bullies in their place without name-calling. You insult them with a softer touch. Good job!

10. How to disarm a bully:

“You’re not a very happy person, are you?”

This is the way to ensure that any blame stays where it belongs. On the bully! This comeback implies that the bully is a miserable soul that can only achieve happiness by insulting others.

Moreover, you make them look powerless over their own lives while maintaining control over your own reactions.

11. “I’m sorry you’re so unhappy.”

With this comeback, you achieve the same results as with number 10.

12. “I’m so sorry you feel so small.”

Ouch! You imply that the bully feels weak and that the only way they can feel strong is to make you feel bad about yourself. Great job!

13. How to disarm a bully:

“Relax. Take a break. You don’t have to work so hard to make people like you.”

Again, OUCH! With this little stinger, you imply that your bully is simping for approval. Therefore, you call them a simp without using the words while empowering yourself.

Note:

These comebacks also work best when done in public, in front of bystanders and witnesses. Therefore, have fun! Because delivering good comebacks to bullies in front of an audience is pretty doggone fun!

But most importantly, it helps you keep your power while prompting the bully to think twice before messing with you again.

How to disarm a bully with body language:

1. When a bully cuts their eyes at you

Return the gesture. Moreover, if she tries to stare you down, never look away because she will only take that as fear. Then, from then on, you’ll be her new source of power.

Therefore, always glare back without blinking and stand with your feet apart and arms akimbo to take up some space. This is known as a “power pose.”

You may have to stand that way and stare for a while if she sees your response as a challenge. However, if you hold your position long enough, she’ll finally get tired and move on.

Understand that any time a person uses this type of body language toward you without provocation, they are clearly saying that they’re superior to you and attempting to dominate you.

So, always, always reciprocate any dirty looks and dominate or intimidating body language. Assert your power this way, and soon, the bully will get the message that you’re confident, fearless, and not one she should mess with.

How to disarm a bully:

It’s not what you say, it’s what you do.

In short, it’s not what you say. It’s what you do. Nonverbal communication is around ninety percent of communication. Talk is cheap, and if your words don’t match your body language, bullies will pick up on it, and they will eat you alive!

If you’re the timid type, there are plenty of books you can read to learn confident body language and power pose. Once you read, practice, and learn what nonverbal cues convey power, you must practice those poses until they become comfortable to you.

Remember that bullies always target someone they perceive to be lacking in confidence, timid, and insecure because that person is least likely to fight back. To look confident, fearless, and secure, practice open body language.

Again, stand with your feet apart and arms uncrossed (crossed arms are closed body language and make you look insecure and untrustworthy). When a bully confronts you, never look down or away.

Always look the bully in the eye, and she will see that you aren’t afraid and likely move on to someone else.

In other words, mirror any hostile body language you get from bullies to disarm them. Why? Because they won’t expect that response from you and it will shock them into not toying with you again.

This post was about how to disarm a bully so that you can maintain your power and keep your dignity.

1. Phrases to Shut Down a Gaslighter: 9 Powerful Statements to Use

2. How to Spot a Bully: 13 Must-Know Body-Language Examples

3. Setting Boundaries: 3 Powerful Practices to Hold Your Ground

4. Enforcing Personal Boundaries: 7 Powerful Strategies

5. Defending Yourself from Bullies: 11 Best Defenses

neediness meaning

Neediness: 5 Reasons It’s Unhealthy and How to Overcome It

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Neediness is not healthy for anyone. Victims of bullying are most susceptible to this condition because bullies have defamed them and turned everyone against them. As someone who’s been there, I’m giving you the 5 reasons being needy repels people and what you can do to overcome it.

neediness

Being to needful isn’t only unhealthy, it’s not a good look on anyone. It’s unattractive and off-putting. Although it isn’t necessarily their fault, victims of bullying often have no friends. Therefore, they can become so desperate for friendship that they exhibit needy, if not self-depreciating behavior.

In this post, you will learn the reasons why neediness runs people off. Also, you will learn ways to overcome it if you’re one of these people whose social life is destroyed by bullies and their defamation.

Once you learn about all the why’s and hows of needy behavior, you will be better able to pinpoint the reasons you do it and how you can change your actions to convey a more confident you.

This post is all about the symptoms of and reasons for neediness that every target of bullying needs to know about so that they can make the changes needed to become stronger and more confident in the face of bullying and lack of friends.

Neediness

Before we get into the reasons and remedies for this bully-induced condition, lets first explain why bullying targets become needy. Also, we’ll discuss why this isn’t your fault if you’re one of those people.

I repeat! It’s not your fault!

Neediness comes from low self-esteem and lack of confidence. Refraining from acting needy can be hard to do, especially if you’re a target of bullying.

The feelings of loneliness and desperation are real. In fact, they’re so real that they can have a death-grip on you after so long.

Remember that humans are hardwired for social connections and relationships. Therefore, it’s not easy to fight the urge to cling to unhealthy relationships and friendships. Especially when most people treat you like an outcast.

However, here’s something people in that situation don’t think about.

Acting clingy is off-putting to others. To be blunt, it’s downright gross! It’s the equivalent of an overpowering stench one must hold their nose and run from to keep from getting sick.

Additionally, active clingy only invites more bullying, abuse, and usery. Moreover, it opens the door for more ridicule.

People also look at you with disgust and contempt. Yes, a few people may feel sorry for you, but do you really want to be pitied?

Another thing this does is give your bullies satisfaction and free entertainment. The last thing you want is to look desperate in front of them and humiliate yourself.

You are not to blame. So, Don’t beat yourself up if you presently struggle with these feelings and behavior.

Again. I understand that feeling of not having any friends. Moreover, I can relate to the longing for friends and human connections. The longing for friendship and, just to be heard and noticed is a normal desire that all humans have.

It’s completely normal to have that deep ache in your soul when people ostracize you. I was there once upon a time. The feeling of the intense, deranged hatred of my classmates and resulting soul-deep pain were overwhelming.

However, I learned the heard way that, if nothing else, you still have your pride and your dignity.  You choose to either keep those treasures or give them away.

But here’s the good news!  if you give them away,  you can always take them back anytime.

5 Reasons Neediness is unhealthy

1. You mistake Tolerance for Acceptance.

Because people have shunned and rejected you for so long, you become ravenously hungry for any morsel of approval. Moreover, you’ll lap up anything that even looks like potential friendship.

However, what may look like acceptance could turn out to be only tolerance.

Anytime you become needy, some people might include them in their groups. But! It won’t be because they like you nor want to be around you.

They’ll only pretend to like you because they feel sorry for you. The last thing you should want is someone’s pity. Yuck! Who in their right mind wants to settle for that?

But wait! It gets worse!

After a while, the pity of your so-called friends will wear thin.

2. you put your heart at risk of being broken. Also, you place your self-esteem at risk of being crushed once again.

The group of so-called friends who pretend to like you put themselves at risk of being made targets themselves. And they know it.

In the minds of the bullies and others, they’re guilty by association. Therefore, instead of being an asset to the group, you become a liability!

As mentioned earlier, your so-called friend group has to pretend to enjoy having you around because they don’t want to hurt your feelings.

However, their real feelings about you will only seep out in ways that are not so obvious. In other words, it’ll leak out so subtly that you may not even know it’s happening.

And if you make the slightest mistake or your friends perceive the tiniest slight from you, the floodgates will open.  Then, their real feelings of dislike and hatred will come rushing out like a raging torrent.

Afterwards, they’ll look for any reason to make you go away even if they must treat you with blatant brutality.

3. When you act out of neediness, You likely suffer betrayal.

Your so-called friends will never have your back. In other words, they’ll disappear at the first sign of trouble.

When your bullies come calling, your fake friends will throw you under the bus, then get behind the wheel and run you over a few times. Understand that these people will not value you as a person. Therefore, they won’t care whether you get hurt.

Realize that your friends won’t be the least bit concerned for your well-being.

4. You only draw in people who are predators.

Users and abusers are drawn to neediness like vultures to a carcass. In other words, they seek out people who are desperate to exploit their needs and weaknesses to get what they want from them.

Consequently, once they’ve gotten all they want out of the person, they discard them like a dirty piece of toilet paper. You may not realize it, but you can do better than a bunch of scavengers!

Wouldn’t you rather be alone than to have friends like those?

5. You only humiliate yourself.

When you, in essence, beg for friends, relationships, affection, attention or admiration, others take notice and your value drops like a meteor!

Moreover, you make a complete fool of yourself by chasing after people who aren’t worth spitting on. When you don’t respect yourself enough to only select those who see your worth, you only end up humiliating and degrading yourself.

Stop that right now! Because you’re better than that!

So, How do you overcome neediness?

1.  take steps to repair your self-esteem and boost your confidence.

Repairing your self-esteem is of the most importance!

This means keeping company with and spending your time with uplifting family members who love you and want best for you. Also, put yourself out there and meet new people outside the toxic environment in which people bully you.

Don’t be afraid to smile and talk to people. Although this may be scary at first, you must face your fear head-on. Do it anyway, even if you must do it scared!

Remember that total strangers are the best opportunities for victims of bullying because they’re potential friends. However, don’t act desperate or clingy. Let things flow naturally and things will work out.

2. stop caring what people think.

When you obsess over the thoughts and opinions of others, you make yourself a slave to their approval. Moreover, your own opinions automatically take a back seat.

Understand that you don’t need anyone’s approval, period.

Therefore, stand in your power and begin valuing your own thoughts and opinions. In other words, stop wondering if they will like you and start wondering if you’ll like them.

3. Get some standards.

Needy behavior means having a lack of standards. Therefore, set standards for yourself. This means being choosy in everything, including, friends, dates, and people you have around you.

Don’t settle for anything (or anyone) less than what you want and what you deserve!

4. Overcoming Neediness means removing toxic people and fake friends from your life.

How you take your power back is to cut these life-leeches out off your life and make them irrelevant. Moreover, you do it by speaking your truth and using the abuse they inflicted on you to help others.

Some people just aren’t worth your time and energy. So, be willing to walk away from those who aren’t really for you. This includes, fake friends, users, abusers… anyone who makes you feel bad or who betrays your truth.

Stop wasting your time with people of low loyalty and integrity. Believe that you deserve better and choose your friends wisely!

5. Focus on your goals and pursue your interests.

If you’re too busy focusing on your goals, you won’t have time to worry about how people think of you. Therefore, work toward achieving your goals and dreams.

Instead of chasing after people who haven’t earned your respect, chase after your interests!

6. be willing to be alone for a while.

Real courage and real self-worth sometimes require that you be alone for a while. Moreover, realize that solitude is not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it’s very healthy and one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Time alone allows you to rest and recharge and gives you time to reflect and get to know yourself. Also, it gives you time to pursue your own interests and a chance to prioritize yourself. So, take advantage of it.

Lastly, let me assure you that you won’t always be by yourself. Be patient and eventually, the right people will find you. It may not happen quickly, but it will happen. I guarantee it.

It happened for me and it will happen for you too!

7. knowing your worth is also one of the keys to overcoming neediness.

In other words, know what you deserve and go after it. Be advised that going after something sometimes means being willing to wait for it!

Stop settling for people and situations that devalue you as a person.

8. believe in yourself.

In other words, believe that you deserve better people in your life. Also believe that they will come along eventually because you are a great person to know.

Self-belief is one of the most important lessons you can ever learn. Therefore, believe in yourself even if you must make positive affirmations to get there.

When you overcome neediness, you turn your pain into power and transform your bullies’ weaknesses into your strength!

Moreover, your bullies’ ignorance becomes your wisdom and you turn their hatred for you into love for others, especially those who are bullied. This is how you raise self-esteem and go from victim to victor.

This post was all about Neediness, the reasons it’s unhealthy, and how you overcome it so that you can take back your power and your dignity.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Needy Behavior: 5 Reasons it Derails Your Social Life

2. How to Stop Being Too Nice: 5 Powerful Changes that Win Respect

3. Like vs Respect: What’s the Difference?

4. Acceptance and Tolerance: 5 Best Ways to Know the Difference

5. Signs of Toxic People: 5 Tell-Tale Indicators

how to spot a bully in a crowd

How to Spot a Bully: 13 Must-Know Body-Language Examples

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‘Want to know how to spot a bully and pick them out of a crowd? Here are all the body language cues you must be aware of.

how to spot a bully

If you want to combat bullying, you must know how to spot bullies before they spot you. This means having a spidey-sense when it comes to reading people. You must automatically pay attention to others’ non-verbal communication and their silences.

Therefore, in this post you will learn how to spot a bully among a huge crowd of people. You will also learn more about body language in general.

Once you learn all these non-verbal messages, you will be able to better protect yourself against bullies and bullying.

This post is all about how to spot a bully and what you can do to protect yourself from them.

How to Spot a Bully

Why You Should Learn to Read Body Language

People won’t tell you they have bad intentions. However, if you pay attention, you’ll see it in their body language.

Body language is the unspoken messages we all send everyday. You should learn these things not only to read other people but also to be aware of your own nonverbals.

For instance, noticing the clothes people wear and the arrangement of objects in their homes and work spaces can also give clues as to the kind of people you’re dealing with.

Moreover, it pays to notice patterns in their breathing and tensions they have in certain muscles (mainly the neck and jawline). You should also have the ability to read the subtext in conversations.

The feet are the parts of the body that people pay the least attention to! However, this is a mistake because the feet can tell you so much.

Participating in or listening to conversations is good practice as well. And you should also home in on what is implied rather than what is said.

All of this is non verbal communication. And let’s face it, there is no such thing as an action that doesn’t communicate something.

The ability to read nonverbal communication is increasingly becoming a lost art due to technology and the advancement of social media. And that’s a sad thing because without it, we lose the ability to live in harmony with our fellow man.

How to spot a bully: Bullies always display these types of body language, especially around their targets.

Dominance and Superiority Body Language

1. Bullies take up lots of space to appear bigger.

In other words, you will often see bullies place their hands on their hips and stand extra tall.

2. If you’re a victim of bullying, your bullies will stand extra close to you.

Moreover, they’ll stand so close that they will sometimes touch you. Your bullies deliberately invade your personal space to intimidate you. Moreover, this is the way they show you who’s boss without saying a word.

Therefore, how you respond is to tell them in no uncertain terms to back the hell off.

If they don’t move or they move closer to challenge the boundary you just set, you may have to throw up your dukes and enforce that boundary.

3. Bullies will also frown and purse their lips at you while maintaining unblinking and unwavering eye contact. Also, they will bore their eyes into you like a dagger, without moving their heads.

Again, this is to intimidate you and let you know that they’re watching you.

And when they glare at you, they do it persistently and intensely without blinking. Their faces turn red, and they will often stretch.

Know that these are sure signs that a bully wants to physically attack you and they will do it soon. Again. Do not ignore this!

Therefore, you respond to this by reflecting the same body language back to them. In other words, return the glare and purse your lips back at them. Let them know that they don’t scare you and that you can take care of yourself if you have to.

4. How to Spot a Bully:

Bullies will freely touch you because they have no regard for your personal space.

For example, a bully may give you a hard slap on the back. They may grab you by the arm and lead you where they want them to go. A bully may also physically move you to the side or shove past you.

Understand that your bullies do these things to show you who’s in charge. Also, they may do it to compete with you.

Moreover, they may also do these things to signal ownership of you. Yes! In your bullies’ minds, they own you.

Their unspoken message is, “You’re mine, I own you, and I can do what I want with you.”

Therefore, you must jerk away from them and tell them to never ever put their hands on you. And, if they challenge you by touching you again after you’ve told them not to, it’s time to punch their lights out.

And when you do, hit them so hard that they’ll think twice about ever messing with you again. Make the lick count!

5. If you are sitting, bullies will often stand over you to look bigger and more intimidating.

Or, if you’re standing, bullies who are short in stature will often stand on something to appear taller than you. Some may stand on their tiptoes.

Bullies will also lay claim to your territory (your desk, spaces, parking spaces, etc.) and expect others to obey rules when near the claimed area or object.

Again, they do this to intimidate and dominate.

Therefore, tell them to back the hell up!

6. How to Spot a Bully:

Other ways of Invading your space and claiming ownership

Your bullies may walk into your room, office, or home uninvited and without knocking. They may sit in your chair without asking permission.

Other invasions include leaning on your vehicle and parking in your parking space. They may cut in front of you in line, or prop their feet on the back of your chair when sitting behind them.

I had a girl do that to me in school, and if I knew what I know now, I would have jumped up and beat the living hell out of her!

Understand that bullies crave control and do these things to take away your power.

Therefore, you have every right to demand that they either know first or don’t bother coming in.  If they lean on your care, desk, etc, tell them to get off the object. You must stand up to these people!

7. Bullies also put their hands on your personal belongings with a carefree attitude.

But know that the message the bully is sending you is this: “I own you, so I own anything that is yours.”

Therefore, tell them in a firm tone to keep their hands off your shit!

 They may walk up to your table during lunch, pick a French fry off your plate, and pop it in their mouths. They may pick up your fork and take a bite of your food.

Moreover, your bully may also pick up your phone and began scrolling through the contents. They may even rummage through your purse or pick up your jacket and go through the pockets.

The hidden message the bully is sending is, “I can take whatever I want, and what are you going to do about it?”

Therefore, do something about it!

Get up, face the bully, and say, “Don’t you ever do that again.” If he challenges you, again, punch their lights out.

They crossed the line and you must enforce your boundaries. Why? Because they’ll keep it up if you don’t.

8. How to Spot a Bully:

Another way bullies invade territory.

They walk in the center of a hallway or sit on a flight of stairs, expecting people to move and go around them.

Bullies may also stand in the middle of a road and driveway or take their time crossing the street, forcing cars to stop and wait.

Therefore, tell them to move or to get out of the way. You could also say, “Excuse you!” This may or may not change their behavior but it will let them know that you aren’t afraid to stand up to them.

9. Bullies also show dominance by how they dress or the car they drive.

Bullies do this to impress admirers and to one-up you and other targets. Therefore, see it for what it is, a pathetic ploy to show off.

How you respond to give them a dismissive look and keep going. They aren’t worth your time.

10. Hostility Body Language

Bullies may look at you while pinching their chin.

The pinching of the jaw is used to release the hostile thoughts without acting on them. It’s their way to hold back the urge to physically attack you.

Therefore, realize that when a bully looks at you and pinches any part of the face, this signals the bully’s secret wish to harm you.

Therefore, put your hands on your hips, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and give them the death glare. The point is to let them know that you aren’t the least bit intimidated.

11. How to Spot a Bully:

They pound their fist into the palm of their opposite hand or another object.

Another sign of hostility as when a bully looks at you, then pounds a fist into a tabletop, wall, or the palm of their opposite hand.

Any object the bully pounds is only a substitute for the victim’s physical body.

Moreover, girls and women will often bite their lip, suck on the inside of their jaw or chew the inside of the mouth while looking at you.

Also, male bullies may snarl at you, whereas female bullies will glare at you with dirty looks. Clenching a jaw where the jaw is protruding outward is another sign of hostile intentions.

Repeat the response in number 10. Show the creep you aren’t afraid of them.

12. Bullies also show hostility by sizing you up.

They size you up by directly facing you, clinching their fists and puffing out their chests. The best response is to mirror the bully.

13. Bullies will stand in the center of the room.

They do this to be the “center” of attention. I call this the “look-at-me” body language. Therefore, how you respond to this is just to dismiss the body and keep walking.

How to Spot a Bully

In Conclusion:

Here’s a complete rundown of what we just covered.

If a bully violates your space or belongings, always call them out on it. Never let it happen without asserting yourself. If a bully stares you down, always return the stare. Either look them in the eye or look them between the eyes.

If they look at you while standing feet apart and arms akimbo, reflect the exact same stance back to the bully. Mirror the bully to show that you’re not the least bit intimidated by them. If the bully is rushing you, slow down. Do not speed up! Remain calm.

Also, if the bully challenges you, enforce the boundary you set. Sometimes this may mean putting up your dukes.

Here’s another thing that we didn’t mention but is important because it will help your self-esteem tremendously.

Dress your best and look your best. This shows that you take pride in how you look and conveys confidence. It also helps you to feel better. When we look better, we also feel better!

This post is all about how to spot a bully so that you can read their body language and be better prepared for anything they may try.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. How to Spot Fake Friends: 7 Proven Tricks to Instantly Out Them

2. Non Verbal Bullying: Hostile Body Language Head to Toe

3. 25 Signs of a Toxic Person

4. Enforcing Personal Boundaries: 7 Powerful Strategies

5. Setting Boundaries: 3 Powerful Practices to Hold Your Ground

woman in the workplace

What Not to Share at Work When You Suffer Workplace Bullying

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When you’re dealing with workplace bullying, it’s imperative that you know what not to share at work. Here are the things about your life that are better kept private.

what not to share at work

Too many people make the carnal mistake of sharing too much information at work. This is risky for anyone. However, if you’re dealing with workplace bullying, it’s not only risky, it’s the kiss of death because workplace bullies have ways of twisting information that’s innocent.

Therefore, in this post, you will learn exactly what not to share at work so that you can minimize bullying and mobbing and protect yourself.

Once you learn about all these informational faux pas, you will better protect yourself against workplace bullying and defamation. Moreover, you will make it much harder for at-work brutes to find ammunition to use against you.

This post is all about what not to share at work. In detail, it gives you all the information no-nos that not only targets of workplace bullying, but all employees should know about.

What Not to Share at Work

Before we get into the information that’s off limits at work, let’s get into the reasons some things are better left unmentioned.

The examples below are risky for anyone to share at work. However, if you are a target of bullying, you should share as little about your life as humanly possible.

And this means, to anyone. Even your best friend.

Why? Because, when people are bullying you at work, you can’t afford to trust anyone. It doesn’t matter how close you and your only friend at work are.

It’s still isn’t a smart move because you never know when your bullies at work will succeed in turning your friend against you.  Moreover, when they do those friends will likely become willing participants in bullying you.

If you share private details about your life, it’s not a question of if but when this so-called friend spreads your business far and wide once the bullies win them over.

Therefore, never divulge any info that’s private or personal. In other words, don’t disclose anything you wouldn’t want other people to know.

Understand that any personal details can be used as fodder for bullies and their minions to defame you with.

What are examples of what not to share at work?

Here is a list of things that are better kept private.

1. Your sex life, or lack of.

Not only is it just not smart, it’s also very distasteful. Down through the years, I’ve often overheard many coworkers openly talk about their sex-life and it was embarrassing to say the least.

Anytime you publicly talk about your sex life, you make yourself look as if you have no class. Moreover, bullies and other office parasites will take it and run with it.

Bullies will likely either accuse you of being promiscuous or say that you’re not getting any at all.  Also, most people who brag about having something are usually those who don’t and have a hard time getting it.

Therefore, most people will only assume the opposite.

Nevertheless, your sex life is none of anyone else’s business and you should keep it to yourself. Therefore, keep that information in your bedroom and away from work.

2. A person in your family who has a drug addiction.

The same goes for this type of information. Family business should be kept in the family and not brought to work.  Also, workplace bullies will use it as fodder and tell everyone who’ll listen that you come from a family of druggies.

It’s just what bullies do.

Although it’s true that they may lie and say those kinds of things anyway just to make you look bad. However, at least you know that you didn’t initiate the information and it won’t be as hard on your self-esteem if you know they’re only lying.

3. What are examples of what not to say at work? Any medical conditions or diseases.

Here’s another biggie. You’re ailments should be private. If you disclose any medical issues you have, unscrupulous people will use it against you.

Moreover, supervisors with no integrity will use the information as an excuse to fire you or lay you off, especially if you’re a target of workplace bullying.

4. Any mental illnesses.

This is a definite no-no! Any disclosure of mental illnesses will immediately end your credibility not only as an employee, but as a person.

There is too much stigma around mental illness and when you tell others that you have one, no one will ever look at you the same again.

Moreover, workplace bullies accuse their victims of being mentally imbalanced all the time. Even when there’s no evidence or mention of that possibility! Don’t give them a chance to weaponize it against you. Keep it to yourself.

5. Any legal troubles- even as minor as traffic tickets.

Again, bullies will only weaponize this information against you. Even worse, they’ll embellish on it to make it bigger. It’s not worth the price you’ll pay later. Don’t tell anyone anything they don’t need to know.

6. What not to share at work: Family issues- divorce, child custody, births, deaths, etc.

If it’s negative family issues, workplace bullies will only use it as confirmation that you’re somehow defective. On the other hand, if it’s positive, they’ll only say that you’re making it up to sound better than what you are. Also, they’ll accuse you of bragging.

It’s just better not to share anything, good or bad, that happens outside of work if you face bullying in the workplace.

7. Your past (if you’re old enough to have one).

This goes without saying. No one needs to know about your past, period. Negative things about your past could be used against you. For example, no one at work needs to know that you spent time in jail for fighting at a kegger when you were in high school.

Also, positive aspects of it could incite jealousy and resentment. Therefore, just the same, you shouldn’t tell anyone about vacationing in Europe or Bali three year ago. Especially if people bully you at work!

8. Past abuse you may have suffered.

This is also private. If you share this at work, no one will feel sorry for you. Moreover, they won’t admire you if it made you stronger or overcame the abuse. Instead, most of your coworkers won’t care.

Moreover, if you’re a victim of workplace bullying, your bullies will only say that you deserved it. Also, they may use it as confirmation that you’re weak or they’ll weaponize it against you.

It’s better to keep it under your hat.

9. What not to share at work: Your personal info (SS number, credit card number, birthdate, home aDdress, etc).

This is a no-brainer. There are so many sick people out there and if you disclose these kinds of info, you’re asking for identity theft. Also, you’re asking for a mentally deranged bully to show up at your home and either physically attack or kill you.

It’s not worth the risk! Keep it to yourself.

10. Email and passwords to social media accounts.

This goes without saying. Do you really want to risk someone hacking into your social media account and posting porn all over your page?

Thankfully, most people won’t share that kind of information and you won’t either, if you’re smart.

11. What not to share at work: Names of your family members.

If you think that some bullies won’t search for and go after their victims’ family members, you’re dead wrong. Although this doesn’t happen often, it does happen ocassionally. So, don’t chance it.

No one, especially a workplace bully, needs to know who your family members are.

12. Never brag about your daughter’s beauty pageant or your son’s perfect grades.

Again, even in non-workplace bullying situations, people will tend to view you as a braggert or a liar. Workplace bullies are certainly no exceptions. Also, you could unwillingly incite jealousy from workmates and this may bring about workplace bullying.

This goes double in you’re already in a workplace bullying situation.

13. Your views about the recent scandal at  work.

This also goes without saying. It’s best to keep any opinions of any workplace scandals at work to yourself, lest you suffer retaliation.

14. Your hobbies and interests.

Let’s face it, most people won’t care about your hobbies and interests because they’re mostly interested in their own. It’s just an unpleasant part of human nature.

Moreover, workplace bullies will find a way to attack or ridicule you with this information.

Therefore, it’s better to only bring up company and project-related topics at work. Also, it’ll also be wise to appeal to the self-interests of the company and it’s bosses and coworkers.

I guarantee you that people at your job will think more of you if you do this. ‘Just a suggestion.

15. The TV show or movie you watched last night, especially if it’s a slasher show or filled with hot-buttered sex.

Again, no one cares what you watched in the theater or on TV. Moreover, if you watched a slasher film, workplace bullies will use it to say that you have the mind of a serial killer.

Also, if you watched a sex-laden film, such as 50 Shades of Grey, they say that you’re a sex-crazed pervert. Not that you should care what anyone thinks. However, it’s just wise not to help bring any more scrutiny on yourself than you already have if you’re being bullied at work.

16. Never talk about politics! Ever! That’s a no-no subject!

With cancel culture on the rise today, this is the worst thing you can do. And you can believe that workplace bullies would love nothing more than to use politics to destroy you.

It’s not worth the risk. Never talk about politics at work!

 Workplace bullies are already looking for dirty laundry. So, why air out yours? When you’re a target of bullying, the less they know about you and your life, the better.

this post was all about what not to share at work so that you can protect yourself from becoming another casualty of workplace bullies.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Gaslighting at Work: 5 Surefire Indicators to Watch Out For

2. Removing Toxic People: 5 Successful Ways to Give Them the Boot

3. How to Stop a Bully from Bullying You: 7 Powerful Strategies

4. Physical Bullying Information: 5 Must-Know Secrets Bullies Don’t Want You to Know

5. Stop Victim Blaming: 8 Reasons People Blame Targets for Bullying

devil horns

The Horns Effect: Bully-Induced Bias Against Victims of Bullying

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Do you want to know what the horns effect is and the why’s and how’s of it’s impact on victims of bullying? The H.E. is a type of bias that targets and their friends and family members need to know about.

the horns effect

Bullying not only destroys you confidence, it also destroys your reputation. Why? Because bullies smear and defame you to prevent you from having friends and getting support. Therefore, this can induce what psychologists call, the horns effect.

In this post, you will learn what the horns effect is and how it relates to bullying and effects victims.

Once you learn all about this phenomenon, you will be better able to not only explain it, but combat it and prevent it from happening to you again in the future.

This post is all about the horns effect, how bullies and bullying can bring it on you, and what you can do to minimize it.

The Horns Effect

What is it?

The Horns Effect (or Reverse Halo Effect) – is the opposite of the Halo Effect. It’s a form of bias that causes people’s perception of a person to be negative based on a single (perceived) negative trait.

No one’s perfect, and everyone has negative traits. However, the Horns Effect is an example of how one negative trait over-shadows the positive characteristics of a person.

Moreover, it’s how negative ratings of one quality can easily cross over to judgments of other attributes.

For example, here’s a beautiful and attractive woman. She works hard, has a good heart, and has talent in singing and playing the guitar.

Although the woman is kindhearted, is a knockout, and has superior skill in music, people may view her as foolish for whatever reason. Therefore, they may also view her as unattractive and untalented.

All it takes is one unfavorable rating of one characteristic to influence lower scores of other qualities.

All it takes is one characteristic people don’t like

What happens is that people jump to conclusions about a person too quickly, based only on one imperfection. As a result, they end up wrongly judging the individual.

Other examples of The Horns Effect are when people judge a group based on the behavior of a few bad apples. In other words, they may think that a person with a higher body weight is lazy and has no willpower.

Moreover, some may think that blondes are ditzy, blacks are thugs, whites are racist, and poor people are bums. The H.E. is the root of many stereotypes.

The problem is that we see something we don’t like about a person or a particular member of a group. We then go on judging them from our own unfavorable view.

This only determines our attitude and behavior toward them. Consequently, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when they push back. The demonized persons backlash only reinforces those negative attitudes that their bad traits are connected to all other characteristics.

The same thing happens when you’re bullied for so long. You finally get fed up and react out of emotion, which only reinforces the attitudes of others. People see you as overreacting, overly sensitive, or as having a mental imbalance.

The Horns Effect labels targets unjustly

If you’re not careful, your perfectly normal reaction will be to become defensive (as every action produces a reaction). Although this is a normal response and you’re definitely not wrong for it, understand that bullies are good at taking something normal, spinning it to fit their narrative, and making it seem bad or abnormal to others.

Here’s another example: When things go wrong, people tend to cut anyone else some slack. They,ll assume that things were only out of their control.

On the other hand, if the incident happened to be within their control, others pass it off as, “everyone makes mistakes.”

However, it will be different if it’s you. People will only view your every action with distrust.

The popular belief will be that you caused the mishap deliberately or had an agenda. Sadly, people do this subconsciously.

In other words, if anyone else is late for class or work, people will only think, “Oh, traffic must have been bad.” “Maybe so-and-so had a stressful morning.”

On the other hand, if you’re the one who’s late for class, people would only accuse you of not having your crap together or having no respect for authority.

This is known as confirmation bias.

The horns effect produces confirmation bias.

Confirmation bias happens when people actively search for and “find” evidence that proves that their negative opinions of you are right. All the while, they will discount any proof that doesn’t support their views of you.

In short, if you are a victim of bullying, chances are that people will negatively judge everything you do.

Understand that, once bullies have tarnished your reputation, others will have a psychological need to “be right” about you. Moreover, this is what leads bystanders and others around you to assume that any negative gossip about you is true.

Sadly, this occurs despite a complete lack of evidence.

Whereas, if the gossip is about anyone else, people won’t believe any accusation of wrongdoing. They’ll only ignore it, even if there’s a mountain of evidence to back it up.

The Horns Effect leads to bias and prejudice

The Horns Effect leads teachers and supervisors to disqualify people who are well-deserving of and qualified for awards. For instance, if you’re qualify for an award, people will become so biased against you that they’ll select someone who doesn’t.

Moreover, they’ll punish you for a particular behavior while overlooking the same behavior in anyone else. People’s personal dislike, disrespect and hatred of you will influence this.

And if they happen to see any improvement or positive change in you, they won’t believe it. Or, they’ll assume it won’t last.

Others will only see it as, “Oh, she’s just on her best behavior to impress others and get them off her tail. She’ll be back to her bitch-self soon enough. Just give her time.”

At the same time, they may not see poor and unacceptable behavior in someone other than the you. With anyone else, people will say, “Oh, so-and-so would never have done that! That sounds like something (your name) would do!”

In other words, others will make excuses for someone else.

“I’m sure Becky didn’t mean to do XYZ.”

Or “Maybe Rhonda is just going through some things and that’s why she snapped and hit Chrissy with a baseball bat.”

The Horns Effect is the root of discrimination and prejudice just like the Halo Effect is the root of favoritism and partiality.

Under the horns effect, peers and superiors are less patient with you.

For example, teachers are less patient with you if you ask questions in class and you may eventually stop asking for help. Therefore, you won’t learn as much, won’t work as hard, and won’t make very high grades.

Consequently, this will only activate the teacher’s confirmation bias and reinforce her sullied opinion of you. She’ll only assume that you’re a lazy student.

If you’re under the thumb of the Horns Effect, others begin to see you as a terrible person. And they will block any opportunities for friendships, relationships, and success as word travels quickly.

Anytime you suffer bullying and it seems you can’t do anything right by anyone, you can bet that you’re under the spell of The Horns Effect.

An Unfair Disadvantage 

It doesn’t matter whether you deserve the hatred others have toward you. The Horns Effect mars everyone’s interactions with you.

As a result, it leaves you feeling like you’re banging your head against a brick wall. Because though you may try, you can’t seem to get anywhere with people.

And because you’re unhappy, miserable, depressed and angry (and who wouldn’t be under those circumstances?), everyone will only feel justified in their hatred.

Therefore, once the Horn Effect takes hold and people form an image of you, it’s almost impossible to change. No matter what or how many good deeds you do, or how kind you are to others, people will see your goodness as a ploy to kiss-up and score brownie points.

the Horns Effect is A powerful tool for bullies

Understand that The Horns Effect is what bullies count on. And once the bullies complete their agenda of destroying your reputation, The Horns Affect automatically comes into play.

It’s tough to get others to change their first impressions of you. Though you can do it, it takes a truckload of patience and consistency.

Moreover, it takes a certain amount of pointing out your good qualities, hard work and successes to people. Ironically, this can backfire if you aren’t careful, because people may only think you’re trying to build yourself up.

Therefore, realize that any effort to effect change may do no good or make the situation worse. Because people naturally base their decisions and behavior on deeply hidden feelings. In other words, their actions toward you are subconscious.

Judgements Based on Emotions

Most people are either too lazy or too full-of-themselves to do any critical thinking. Therefore, they will rationalize any hateful behavior. Also, they will search for clues which confirm that their attitude, feelings and subsequent actions and behavior are justified.

Teachers will often grade student’s papers based on their biases. In other words, they rank a student’s essay based on how they perceive that student. If a teacher sees a student to be a lazy low performer, they’ll grade their assignments through that lens.

Understand that people don’t judge you for what’s actually there. They judge you from what they expect to be there.

Put another way, if they expect trouble to come from a particular place, then that’s where they’re going to look. Therefore, this brings me back to the subject. If people don’t like one thing about you, chances are they won’t like anything else about you, good or bad.

The Horns Effect: Who you are cancels out merit

Most ideas don’t stand on their own merits. People judge ideas based on who they come from. It’s a dark part of human nature.

The Horns and Halo Effects have a way of clouding people’s judgment of a person. People will make irrational beliefs because, again, they believe that the existence of one bad trait means that there are other unpleasant qualities.

Any time you are under the shadow of The Horns Effect, anything you say, accomplish, create or do is automatically dismissed without consideration of whether it’s genuine.

No matter who said it or did it, it’s either genuine or it isn’t, based on its own merit. It is what it is, no matter who it came from. A good idea is a good idea, even if it comes from the town whore. Whereas, a bad idea is a bad idea, even if it came from a pastor’s wife.

Unfortunately, you have little control over other’s perceptions and opinions of you. And, as mentioned earlier, people tend not to make judgements based on merit.

However, there are a few things you can do. One of which is to take care of yourself.

Do the things you love most and that fulfill your soul. Also, lean on and draw closer to the people who love you.

This is  how you keep the spell of The Horns Effect from trashing your self-esteem.

This post is all about the horns effect so that unjustly disgraced victims of bullying can better understand what’s happening to them. Moreover, they can take steps to repair and salvage their confidence and psychological well-being.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Stop Victim Blaming: 8 Reasons People Blame Targets for Bullying

2. Gaslighting at Work: 5 Surefire Indicators to Watch Out For

3. How to Stop Being Too Nice: 5 Powerful Changes that Win Respect

4. Like vs Respect: What’s the Difference?

5. Acceptance and Tolerance: 5 Best Ways to Know the Difference

shield of protection

Know Your Enemy: 7 Reasons to Gather Intel on Your Bullies

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Do you want to know how to gather intel on bullies and, figuratively, get to know your enemy? Here is a list of reasons why you should as well as an explanation of how you should go about it.

know your enemy

In this post, you will learn how to collect intel on your bullies and the reasons why it pays to do it. In that, you will learn how to get to know your enemy so that you can better predict and thwart their attacks to protect yourself.

Once you learn this valuable information, you will be able to better protect and defend yourself against bullies. Therefore, you will take back your personal power and your peace of mind.

This post is all about gathering intel on bullies so that you can know your enemy to protect yourself against them.

Know Your enemy

Knowledge is power! It’s also another way to take the sting out of bullying. You must first know the bullies’ inner workings- how they think, what they deem essential, their desires, and what it is that motivates them to bully.

Moreover, you must know the types of bullies you are dealing with, the tactics they love to use against you. Additionally you must know why they use them.

7 Reasons to Gather Intel on Your Bullies

1. To build a better strategy to defuse the bullying.

2. The information will serve as a buffer to your confidence and self-esteem.

3. To minimize the damage bullying causes your mental health

4. The information may help you to alleviate any anger or resentment you may feel toward your bullies.

5. To replace any feelings of hatred you may have for your bullies with those of pity.

6. The intel will help relieve feelings of powerlessness and help you feel some sense of vindication or justice.

7. To boost your confidence when you realize your bullies aren’t as bulletproof as they make themselves out to be.

Therefore, knowing all these things will minimize the damage to your overall mental health and wellbeing.

Let’s explain further by using a few examples.

Example 1:

A classmate or coworker is bullying you and you know that her best friend has recently kicked her to the curb. Maybe you have knowledge that your bully is going through a horrible break-up or divorce.

Moreover, it could be that she is being abused at home. or someone else is bullying her.

Therefore, with this information, you can be sure that there’s a strong possibility that she is only trying to tear you down to keep from feeling powerless.

In other words, when you know these things, your bully will least likely fool you into believing that there is something wrong with you.

You will then know without a doubt that her mistreatment comes from a place of her own insecurity and battered self-esteem.

Also, you’ll know that belittling you is only your bully’s desperate attempt to feel some sense of power.

Therefore, you’ll realize that you’re still a great person and your self-esteem will most likely remain unscathed. Also, it would undo any anger, hatred, or resentment you might otherwise feel towards her.

Instead, you will more than likely feel pity for her or even feel vindicated in some way. Any future bullying she might subject you to won’t bother you as much.

This will make it much easier for you to blow her off. Why? Because you’ll see her as being just another blowhard and not as perfect or strong as she has vigorously tried to make herself out to be.

And this will be a real self-esteem booster!

Know your enemy: example 2.

If your bully has NPD or has manipulative tendencies, you’d know that her ego is puffed up. Moreover, you would also figure that she’s a spoiled, coddled brat.

Maybe you find that she was mistreated in the past that she thinks she’s owed special treatment. Either way, you would realize that it’s probably best to avoid her like the plague and go no-contact.

Example 3:

You have a group of people who are bullying you because they are jealous and wish they had something you possess. This something could be talents, gifts, relationships, material things, anything, really.

Then, you know that you should feel great about yourself. Why? Because it only shows that these bullies admire you and covet the blessings you have.

This may sound strange or delusional. However, think about it.

Why else would these people seemingly go out of their way to belittle and crush your confidence?

Therefore, it helps to know what the bullies may be going through in their own lives. In other words, it pays to have a little intel about their lives outside of the bully environment (school, work, etc.).

Know your enemy: How do you gather information about your bullies?

1. Befriend and Align with the enemies of your bullies.

You’ve heard the quote, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Believe it or not, there’s much wisdom and truth to this age-old saying.

Therefore, there’s nothing wrong with aligning yourself with not only your bullies’ enemies, but also, other victims they bullied before you.

Moreover, it’s not a sin to get counterintelligence from reliable sources if it’ll protect you from being crushed under the proverbial boot of your bullies.

Slowly get close to and befriend your bullies’ friends and rivals. Nonchalantly get their enemies and other victims to talk!

Doing this will be a piece of cake because an enemy will be too happy to give up the details! Therefore, you’ll be armed to the teeth with info that will take the wind out of the bullies’ sales and the blunt force out of their attacks.

2. Keep Your eyes and ears Open.

Especially if you live in a small community!

Though your bullies may have trashed your reputation, take it from one who’s been there. Bullies get talked about too, only people never talk openly about them.

Because the talkers fear becoming the bullies’ next targets, the talk is always in secret.

So, you aren’t the only one being victimized. There are others.

However, because the other victims find it hard to admit to being bullied and the bullies don’t admit to ever bullying anyone, you never hear about it.

Therefore, you mistakenly think that you are the only one they pick on.

Again, this is why it’s in your best interest to find out who your bullies’ enemies are and align yourself with them. Or, at least, hang around nearby and do some eavesdropping (without being obvious, of course).

And, boy! Will you find out some really juicy and embarrassing tidbits about your bullies’ lives!Moreover, you won’t have to ask. You’ll only need to sit or stand quietly, observe, and listen!

Know your enemy: Real Life Examples

Bullies may think they’re stars, but scratch the surface, and you’ll discover that they don’t shine so brightly after all.

One of my bullies is now a nurse, and I am good friends with several nurses who’ve had the displeasure of working with her.

In their words, not mine, “she is as incompetent as they come.”. Also, she has a big family secret, and if you’ve lived in the same town that she lives in long enough, you know what that secret is.

I’ll stop here to protect privacy. For years, this woman has bounced from one job to another, either getting fired or quitting when things didn’t go her way. She has also been through five, maybe six marriages.

Another bully dropped out of high school and ended up working as a waitress. She now owns her own restaurant but barely breaks even. Several other old bullies are incarcerated or have been, with one being convicted of murder and another convicted of armed robbery, running guns, and possession of illegal substances.

Therefore, bullies may get away with their behavior. But keep up up long enough, and they usually get caught and punished.

Bullies Usually Don’t go far.

Bullies are only ordinary people. Yet, they continue trying like mad to keep up with the Jones’s, making everyone think they have beaten the rat race and failing miserably.

Most bullies don’t leave the town they’re raised in. Yet, they still put on the facade of power and a perfect life. It’s hilarious when you really think about it.

Know your enemy: This is worth repeating.

Again!

1. Befriend your bullies’ enemies. This means striking up friendships with the other victims and outcasts in your school, workplace, or community. 

I guarantee you that you aren’t the only one they’ve steamrolled. Bullies leave a lot of shattered lives in their wake and make lots of enemies. And strength always comes in numbers.

2. Listen out!

You will hear many stories about your bullies from the rest of the outcasts and other people who cannot stand them. Moreover, you will be surprised at what you find out.

It may be that your bullies get laughed at too. People are only careful who they do it around and are quieter about it. They must be, or the bullies will target them again.

3. Read expert books about bullies and bullying. The stuff you find out will shock you. However, it will also boost your morale and self-esteem!

Therefore, know that any information you get about your bullies is valuable to you. Always! Because it can then be used as leverage should the bullies come for you.

And please don’t let bullies tear down your confidence and self-esteem. Befriend your bullies’ enemies.

Open your eyes not only to your great value and worth but also to the facades your bullies hide behind and the acts they put on. I guarantee that your self-esteem will skyrocket.

This post is about the number 1 rule to know your enemy and the reasons why you should always gather intel on your bullies. Also, this post is about how to collect that intel.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. 7 Secrets to Instantly Expose Bullies

2. The 4 Stages of Bullying

3. Important Facts About Bullying: 3 Truths You Must Learn

4. Signs of Toxic People: 5 Tell-Tale Indicators

5. How to Stop Caring What People Think: 9 Powerful Steps

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How to Outsmart a Bully: 1 Proven Strategy.

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‘Want to know how to outsmart a bully at school or work and make yourself bully-proof? Here is one proven three-part technique you need to know about.

how to outsmart a bully

Having a bully on your tail can be overwhelmingly stressful. If you’re anything like I was when it was happening to me, you’re probably wondering how to outsmart a bully. As someone who has been there and used this method successfully, I’m giving you the exact tactic that worked for me.

You are going to learn the exact tactic that works like a charm.

After you learn this three-step strategy. You will be able to successfully lure your bullies into a trap they won’t be able to escape from. Moreover, they will think twice before trying to use you again.

This post is all about how to outsmart a bully at school, work, or the community by using the three part tactic that every victim of bullying should know.

how to outsmart a bully

Before we get into the three-part strategy, let’s first discuss the bully’s attitude about anyone who is smart.

Whether in the school, workplace, community, or even family setting, bullies hate a person who’s smart. Why? Because anyone who’s intelligent is likely to see through their acts and smoke screens.

Moreover, bullies also hate anyone who’s independent because they’re least likely to be controlled and subdued. In fact, most independent people are smart because they know how to improvise and do not need anyone else to hold their hand.

As we see in so many examples today in government and media, bullies would rather have you dependent, submissive, and ignorant. Now, why is this?

It’s because an ignorant person is a gullible person who will believe anything others tell them even if it leads them to the slaughter.

naivete is the root of dependence and submissiveness.

People who aren’t very bright, are the easiest to take power from and control because they never think for themselves. Also, they never think critically. People with low IQ take everything at face value and will fall for anything.

Moreover, a person who is naive either hasn’t had enough life lessons to learn, or they’ve been coddled and sheltered. In other words, they weren’t allowed to fall on their butt and have never been made to pick themselves back up.

Therefore, this person is also dependent. They are dependent because they never learned how to fend for themselves. Who can learn anything when, people are constantly bailing them out?

The ignorant are also submissive because they’ll do anything people, especially those who have a little influence (politicians, media, celebrities, sports figures…anyone with authority and clout) tell them just to stay in their good graces and those of society and the public.

How to outsmart a bully: Realize that Bullies easily take advantage of those who are naive, dependent, and submissive.

Therefore, understand that knowledge is power. Having the knowledge of evil and the motives and intentions behind it is the only way you’ll be able to protect yourself from it.

On the other hand, if you don’t know evil is happening, you’ll never be able to defend yourself against it. Therefore, you will be blindsided and thrown off balance when evil finally strikes!

And then you will be defenseless!

And the same will be if you’re willfully blind and ignorant. Though ignorance may be bliss, it won’t help you when evil strikes and reality is staring you square in the face. You’ll be just as defenseless!

You’re never too old to learn. And the process of attaining growth and wisdom is never comfortable.

In fact, it can be downright painful because it requires that you unlearn some of the falsehoods that have been drummed into your head for so long.

It also requires that you admit that you were duped- that you fell for all the bullies’ lies and that you were wrong. And, yes, it also demands that you admit that you are, or have been…wait for it… a dimwit! Gasp! Ouch!

It’s what I had to do, and it wasn’t fun, I can tell you!

It will be worth it in the end!

However, once you allow yourself to go through this painful process. In other words, once you admit some hard truths, you will come out a much better version of yourself. You will be wise, and it will be as if you’ve been given a new set of eyes.

 You will see so much clearer and be able to pick out the tiniest detail. And the devil is always in the details.

Again, ignorance is bliss, but only for so long. Eventually, you will do either one of two things. You will either wise up and act to save yourself. Or, you will suffer the shock of realizing you were duped all along.

And your eyes will finally open the moment you face the very real prospect of being destroyed by the very people who fooled you.

How to outsmart a bully at school or work: What is the three-part strategy?

1. go ahead and allow the bullies to think you’re ignorant.

In other words, play the fool!

Here’s one thing you must know right now. When people think you aren’t very smart, you can run circles around them if you know how to use it to your advantage.

Why? Because you can use it to deceive your bullies and lull them into a false sense of security. Moreover, you can give them a feeling of mind-superiority and disarm any suspicions they may have.

Here’s one of the anti-bullying quotes I put on social media a few years back.

“When people mistake you for being stupid, it can really be a good thing if you know how to use it to your advantage. You can pull some sly, shady stuff and get away with it because no one would ever suspect it was you. They’d never think you were smart enough to pull it off!”

This is especially true with aggressive bullies because they’ll often rush in foolishly and make rash decision. As a result, they can get themselves in a lot of trouble.

Furthermore, this also works on arrogant and overconfident bullies. Why? Because the easier they think it is to abuse you, the easier it is for you to flip the script on them.

How to Outsmart a Bully: If you’re going to play the fool, be a genius at it!

If you want to move up any ladder but are low on the social hierarchy, appearing foolish can be the perfect cover! In other words, look like a complete moron, and no one will ever suspect you have tricks up your sleeve.

When bullies deem you a dummy, they don’t perceive you as a threat. They may look down on you, yes. But they’ll likely leave you alone. Therefore, when you finally put your plan into action and strike without warning, you’ll catch them completely by surprise.

So let them think you’re a complete idiot and use it as a weapon against them and a boon for yourself. Bullies may laugh at you behind your back, but if you know how to use it to your advantage, you’ll be the last one laughing!

When Bullies Label You “not smart,” Always Remember this:

Everyone’s a dummy outside of their talents, gifts and fields!

Fish can’t fly,
Birds can’t swim,
Most pro football players can’t write fiction novels,
And most singers and writers probably suck at sports!

My point is that everyone has something they’re good at, maybe some haven’t found out what it is, but everyone has a talent somewhere!

Moreover, understand that people will say things like this any time they feel you are surpassing them at something. Even better they lull themselves into thinking you are the most foolish person on earth.

However, if you see it as an opportunity, you can turn tables on bullies and make utter fools out of them- right before the eyes of everyone else!

2. How to Outsmart a Bully at school, work, or anywhere: Slyly Bolster your bullies’ ego.

In other words, let them delude themselves into a false sense of superiority and security. Oh yes! You read that correctly! Let them think you’re the most ignorant fool around because it’s the first step in laying your trap for them.

And once they get the idea that you’re such a dim bulb that you couldn’t pour pee out of a boot, that’s when it’s time to pull something elaborate, sly and shady as hell!

Put another way, look even more ignorant than your bullies and their perceptions of you will be your shield. They will be your cover when you slyly bait them or attack them, trick or deceive them!

Then, once they do find out you were behind it, it’ll be too late. And your bullies will look like blooming idiots!

3. Strike Unexpectedly.

Put your attack or dirty trick into action. Then, stand back and watch your bullies as they stand there slack jawed. Enjoy the embarrassment they feel and laugh to yourself.

Here’s a good example of this three-step strategy: This is how to outsmart a bully at school.

Celie is in the seventh grade and is a victim of bullying. A group of female bullies sits at the table next to hers and they are brutal.

One day, suddenly and out of the clear blue, they begin acting nice to Celie.

Celie knows there was a catch somewhere. However, she decides to humor the bullies just to see what they want.

Sure enough, a week later, the bullies very sweetly ask her to take up their trays (Ah-HA!!!)

Celie smiles at her bullies and agrees to do it. Therefore, she decides to demean herself for a little while and be their maid for a while. Why? Because Celie has a slick plan for those little creepstresses!

1. How to outsmart a bully At School: Celie Let’s the bullies think she’s ignorant.

So, the other kids laugh and think Celie is a complete pushover. But they don’t suspect that Celie knows something they don’t. But, they’ll soon find out once the opportunity arrives for her to put her plan into action.

2. Celie bolsters her bullies’ ego by continuing to clean up their mess.

Celie continues to play maidservant to her bullies for the next two weeks. That is,  until the day finally comes when the bullies decide to get up and leave the lunchroom.

Just as Celie hopes they do, the bully girls leave their trays, empty milk cartoons, dirty napkins and other garbage lying on the table. They have grown so arrogant, thinking Celie will continue to clean up after them.

3. Celie seizes the opportunity and strikes unexpectedly.

Celie sees her chance. She only gets up and goes to her next class, leaving those trays sitting right there on the table. She leaves the trays exactly where the girls have left them!

As a result, the cafeteria ladies take down the names of all the girls and reports them to the principal!

The principal then calls the girls out of class, takes them back to the cafeteria and makes them clean up their mess. Oh, the humiliation they suffer!

Word gets around about the incident in a matter of minutes, and the girls became laughing stocks of the school! School staff scowl at the girls and other kids point fingers at them, calling them pigs, skanks, slobs, and other degrading names!

 Joy! Celie ends up making her bullies look like the utter garbage they are.

And the bullies’ reactions? Fury! Rage! They immediately threaten physical retaliation. They yell and scream, calling Celie all kinds of names, while she only points and laughs at them.

The bullies never bother her again after their anger cools. They learn a valuable lesson in this. Never underestimate someone you think isn’t smart. They just might prove to be smarter than you think.

This post is all about how to outsmart a bully so that you can humiliate your bullies so badly that they stop targeting you.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Bully Proof: 7 Do’s and Don’ts for Victims of Bullying

2. Phrases to Shut Down a Gaslighter: 9 Powerful Statements to Use

3. Signs of Toxic People: 5 Tell-Tale Indicators

4. Defending Yourself from Bullies: 11 Best Defenses

5. How to Stop Being a People Pleaser: 5 Powerful Steps