3 tips for when others try to make us feel inferior

It's a fact of life: Whether at work, on the dating circuit, or even in our own families, we come across people who try to undermine us.

Our first instinct may be to try to prove them wrong. But this is precisely what you shouldn't do.

The quicker one realizes that their happiness doesn't depend on anyone but themselves, the faster they can enjoy the sweet smell of life fulfillment.

Here are a few tips for dealing with such individuals.

1. Don't let them get the best of you. It's only natural to become defensive when someone attempts to make you feel small. But it can only bother you if you allow them to. As hard as it may be, you must keep your emotions in check. Rather than indulging them in a shouting match, walk away.

2. Don't seek their validation. Striving to obtain others' approval communicates a few things: (a) You think they're above you (b) You think they're right and you're wrong (c) You wish to be more like them than your true self.

If one thing is for sure, it's that a life spent trying to please others rather than oneself will lead to nothing but misery. Never relinquish your individuality. Never part with the beliefs, passions, and principles who make you who you are.

3. Get bigger. Double down on whatever it is you do that bothers these people. This demonstrates plainly that you couldn't care what others think of you. Be the bigger person by not taking a page out of their playbook. Instead of resorting to ad hominem attacks, stand up for yourself tactfully. And if the behavior persists, cut them out of your life.

You're a wonderful person -- one just as deserving of love, respect, compassion, and kindness as anyone else. Never let anyone make you feel like you're inferior. Those who try to, sadly, are proving they're actually beneath you.

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eumax said…

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September 9, 2019 at 4:52 AM

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