One may spend years trying to learn how to defend oneβs limits and preserve dignity, yet true strength is found only in facing those who cross them.
The search for respect without confrontation is itself the mark of weakness.
Those who are annoyed by your limits only wish to cross them.
Those who are annoyed by your rights only wish to take them.
Such people must never be compromised with.
Tit for Tat strategy:
Start by cooperating.
If the other party cheats, retaliate with the same behavior.
If they return to cooperation, reciprocate and cooperate again.
Acting with deference is a useful short-term strategy to avoid unnecessary conflicts,
but if it becomes a habit, it erodes self-worth and invites exploitation.
People view nasty tactics as bad because they are only discussed and scrutinized when the one using them fails.
When the perpetrator succeeds, he shapes the narrative, concealing the nasty tactics; hence, their utility remains hidden.
If someone solves a problem for you effectively, he is likely to be behind it.
If someone exposes a plot to you, he is likely to be one of the plotters.
People start revolutions hoping to rise in the hierarchy.
When they fail, they are crushed.
When they succeed, a handful of revolutionaries seize the top, while the majority gains nothing but deeper resentment.
If someone tells you that others are speaking badly about you and trying to harm you,
there's a 1% chance he genuinely wants to help you,
and a 99% chance he aims to isolate you and gain more control over you.
Most people who preach forgiveness do so because they lack the courage to take revenge. They deceive themselves into believing they are taking the high road when, in reality, they are choosing the cowardβs path.
Never take the βhighβ road. Never wish people who did you wrong well. Desire for vengeance is the most noble emotion that can be experienced. Revenge shows that you resisted and refused to give in. Forgiveness is a mental sickness and the ultimate stage of subjugation..
Setting boundaries and calling people out on their behavior is the best way to build genuine friendships.
If you donβt, they will overstep, hurt you, and force you to distance yourself.
To maintain healthy relationships, establish limits and demand respect from the start.
Our mind sorts people as good or bad.
The worst individuals exploit this by mixing kindness with harm, keeping you confused and making it harder to see them as enemies.
If they were always bad, recognizing and confronting them would be easier.