If You Don't Change Your Mind, Others Will Do It For You
Saturday, October 18, 2008 Labels: Are You Lying to Yourself? 2 comments
Have you ever really taken the time to think about it? Control and manipulation are at the core of all our inter-personal relationships.
Control and manipulation, is a very vast subject. They are such ugly words, but we experience them everyday of our lives. People and institutions use our fears and our needs against us to get us to do what they want. We are being manipulated by our Government, Churches, TV, Stores, the media, and all the people we care most for in our lives. Either we are inflicting it on others, sometimes unknowingly, or they are inflicting it on us, in one way or another. When we do not think and behave the way the people around us want us to, the manipulation begins.
The Government uses our fears to manipulate us. One of the biggest ways it has been manipulating us most recently, is by monopolizing on our need to feel safe and secure, and our fear of terrorism. How many rights have we willingly given up recently, all in the name of security?
The people in our social circle monopolize on our need to feel accepted, and our fear of rejection and abandonment. All humans feel the need to be accepted and recognized, and will avoid rejection and abandonment at all costs, which leaves us wide open to control and manipulation by those around us.
Peer pressure. We think, as adults that this concept only applies to our children, mostly in their school years. We as adults are far too mature for that, right? It may start when we are children, but it follows us throughout our lives.
Stop and take the time to think about how many times as an adult have you allowed the world to control and manipulate you through peer pressure alone.
We go out and buy that expensive outfit to fit in at our office, (maybe we all should have to wear uniforms to work, so we can concentrate on our work and not each others looks). We buy clothes, makeup, cologne, jewelry, big houses, fancy cars, we have this sucked out, that lifted, this increased, that reduced, pierce this, tattoo that. All in an attempt to fit in and feel accepted by our peers. And don’t even get me started on gossip, rumors, lies, guilt…, but then they are just a few of the methods some of the less self-respecting people choose to use to control and manipulate others.
Worst of all...sometimes we even go against our own principles and values, just to go along with the crowd and be accepted. Then we are not congruent with ourselves, and everything goes out of whack. When we are not in harmony with ourselves we begin to become ill, both emotional and physically.
And we wonder why so many people feel the need to find themselves. Why are we under so much stress? Why are we no longer able to control our own emotions?
The truth is; we should be controlling and manipulating ourselves. We have to accept ourselves. Consciously we may try or want to change a bad habit, get over a fear, control an emotion or behavior, but it still continues to have a hold on us. The problem is, we are trying to change on a conscious level, but it all begins on the subconscious level. In reality our thoughts and beliefs control our emotions, behaviors and our bodies. Take back control of your mind.
If you can tell the world who you are and what you believe without breaking stride or hesitating, you are happy with yourself. Neale Donald Walshe
If You Don't Change Your Mind, others will do it for you.
Very interesting post. That's why I do believe that it's important to start knowing yourself, at frist!
What a great job you have done with your blog, very tasteful layout. Great article, I am to stubborn to be manipulated though. I am very open minded as long as others see it my way LOL.