Those underhanded, often brief, microaggressions that narcissistic Hijackals and other toxic people use for control need to be recognized. Then, you need to know what to do about them.
The small, subtle, often sneaky words, actions, and gestures that are small or brief slights, insults, insinuations, or put downs used to marginalize you are microaggressions.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS EPISODE:
- Recognizing microaggressions
- What a Hijackal or other toxic person tries to do by using these microaggressions
- Why you are caught off guard by them and unsure of a response
- Clarity that these microaggressions used in toxic relationships are emotional abuse!
- Recognizing and responding to Microinvalidations
- Using the PWR (Personal Weather Report) to reclaim your space
These behaviors are frequent and painful. But, they are small and they catch you off guard, wondering if you should speak up. Or, would it be making a mountain out of a molehill? Is that familiar?
Hand in hand with microaggressions are microinvalidations: small and frequent ways that you are discounted, dismissed, or denied. When a Hijackal or other toxic person denies that you know what you think, feel, need, want, or even have seen, it can be a microinvalidation. This episode helps you see the small papercuts that are intended to make you emotionally exhausted and bleeding to death. Nasty!
To do something about them, though, you have to recognize them when they are happening. Then, using my PWR response as I outline, you have a way to counteract the effect of these microaggressions on you. (The PWR strategy is from my book,Ā Kaizen for Couples,Ā available from Amazon in print or ebook.)
Empower yourself by catching these subtle, sneaky, nasty ways of putting you down, and using the PWR to respond. You’ll feel better…although, don’t expect the Hijackal to!
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