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5 Signs Someone Is Trying To Mentally Manipulate You

Healthy, loving relationships are a necessary part of living a happy life, and those relationships are built on trust and mutual respect. Of course, we all have moments when we are focused on ourselves, which is typically a good thing. We have to take care of ourselves before we can help others. The problem begins when someone is always focused on their agenda without regard for others around them–someone who likes to manipulate others.

They learn how to “trick” someone into believing what they are doing is for them when only it benefits the trickster – otherwise known as a manipulator.

The hardest part about manipulation is we often don’t even know it’s happening. Recognizing the signs is the first step to taking back control.

5 Signs Someone Is Trying to Manipulate You Mentally

manipulate

1. They use our words against us and to their benefit.

A manipulator is often trying to sell us on something. They interrupt our thoughts and speak over us when we’re talking, all hoping to get us off our game. When we notice the behavior and call them on it, they find a way to use our words to make us feel guilty.

Instead of apologizing for forgetting to stop at the store on the way home, a manipulator might respond:

“I am so overwhelmed with work right now. I know you would never have asked me to stop at the store if you knew how much pressure I’m under.”

2. They use passive-aggressive methods to manipulate us.

Master manipulators do not want to be seen negatively, so they avoid being direct and honest. Instead, they will have others do their dirty work to avoid the “bad guy” syndrome. They talk behind our backs, rally the support of our closest friends, and mount a campaign to prove they are right, and we’re wrong. They are verbally supportive but act in very unsupportive ways.

3. They suck the energy out of us and everyone else in the room.

Manipulators carry a dark cloud around with them. When they enter a room, they make a point of making sure everyone notices. Instead of working the room normally, they look for everyone to display sympathy and work to make them “feel better.” They want to be the “cause” because it is more likely to get them what they want.

4. They seek out and use our sensitive and trusting nature.

Manipulators play on the fact that we are trusting and sensitive in nature and seek out our vulnerabilities and use them to their advantage. They use a false sensitivity to connect with us and to help shield their true intentions and motives.

5. They use guilt to manipulate us.

As a manipulator gets closer to us, he will learn the things that have emotional control over us. He uses these triggers to pull at our heartstrings. So we feel as if we have no choice but to give in.

A manipulator that is good at playing the mental game knows how to play the role of victim to get what they need. The play on guilt, sympathy, and our sensitivities as a way to emotionally blackmail us into serving their needs.

It can be challenging to pull away from a master manipulator because they have dug deep and created a strong emotional hold on us. We may need to seek the help of a loyal friend to break free.

It’s not uncommon to begin to question our sanity when trying to determine if we are being manipulated or not. The best way to figure it out is to start writing down encounters that feel inauthentic. It will help us to stop questioning whether it’s real or not. Besides, it will help give us the ammunition we need to leave manipulative situations.

A manipulator is good at talking their way out of things by trying to confuse us, by using our trusting nature and by playing to our sympathies and emotions. With a log of actual events, it will be hard for a manipulator to talk their way out of their actions.

They may not adequately explain themselves or even apologize. But they will understand that you are aware and refuse to be manipulated going forward.

Final Thoughts on Seeing When Someone Wants to Mentally Manipulate You

Sometimes it’s easier to spot than others and tracking events that give you pause will help see them for what they are. Make no mistake about it. Someone who continually manipulates to get what they want broke the bonds of the relationship long before they were found out.

Mentally and emotionally manipulative people can be passive aggressive or overly demanding. Either way, it’s not acceptable, and we can’t allow it to continue. It’s time to stand up for ourselves and take back the control that was taken from us.

5 Ancient Exercises You Need To Be Doing Everyday

The five Tibetan rites, also known as the “The Fountain of Youth,” are a series of continual movements thought to be over 2,500 years old. The rites take about 15 minutes and should be done daily, preferably in the morning. These ancient exercises can help you boost your health.

The daily ritual of performing the five Tibetan rites at the beginning of each day will offer many benefits including the following moves:

  • Increased flexibility
  • Better balance
  • Stronger muscles
  • Stress reductions
  • Clarity of thought
  • More energy
  • Improved overall health
  • Enhanced sense of calm

When beginning the five Tibetan rites, make sure and start out slowly aiming for three repetitions of each movement. As with any exercise, we should listen to our bodies and take care not to force anything beyond their natural tendencies. If you experience pain or severe discomfort, look for ways to modify the movement or do fewer repetitions until your strength and stamina increase.

Eventually, you will want to work your way up to 21 repetitions for each of the five movements. Do these ancient exercises slow and methodically, remembering that your breathing plays a role.

The Five Ancient Exercises You Need to Be Doing Everday:

Rite 1: Sufi Whirling

The Movement

Stand with your arms extended outward at shoulder level. Begin to spin clockwise slowly while looking in front of you. If you get dizzy, you can focus on a single point but try to allow your vision to blur as you spin. Stop when you feel dizzy or if you are losing your balance. Work your way up to 21 complete spins.

The Breath

Feel your breath entering and exiting your stomach. When you stop the movement, breathe more deeply in and out until you have regained your balance and your heads stop spinning.

Rite 2: Leg Raises

The Movement

Lay flat on your back on the floor with your arms along your side, palms up. Keep your legs straight and take a deep inhalation breath as you lift your legs as high as possible eventually ending up over the head. At the same time lift your head off the ground bringing your chin to your chest. Exhale slowly as you lower your head and legs back to their original positions.

Note: You can modify this movement by placing your hands under your buttocks with your palms facing down to support your lower back.

The Breath

Inhale as you raise your legs and exhale while lowering them.

yoga

Rite 3: Recovery Posture

The Movement

Kneeling, place the palms of your on hand along the side of your thighs. Bend your chin towards your chest and begin to inhale deeply. Slowly raise your head and begin to lean back as you move hands from the side to the back of your thighs. Slide your hands down lower as you lean back further to help support your weight. Allow the weight of your head and neck to drop backward as you look up. Keep your eyes open to maintain your balance and feel the release in your spine. Begin exhaling as you slowly return to your original position.

The Breath

Inhale as you move back into the bend and exhale when returning to the original position.

Rite 4: Table Posture

The Movement

Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you about shoulder-width apart. Place your arms along your side with the palm of your hands flat on the ground and your fingers pointed towards your toes. As you begin to inhale, raise your buttocks while keeping your arms still and bending your knees. Shift the weight to your arms and continue to lift until your thighs are parallel to the ground, allowing your head to fall back. Exhale as you slowly return to the original position.

The Breath

Inhale as you lift and move into the table posture and exhale as you return the original position.

Rite 5: Inverted-V

The Movement

Here is the last of our ancient exercises. On your hand and knees, inhale as you move into the Cobra position by moving forward, straightening your legs, arching your back and leaning your head backward. Try not to let any part of your body touch the ground except for your toes and hands. As you begin to exhale, move into Downward Dog by bending at the waist into an inverted V. Straighten your legs and arms while tucking your chin into your chest.

The Breath

Inhale as you lower yourself into Cobra and exhale as you move into Downward Dog.

After completing the fifth movement, lay on your stomach with your arms stretched out at shoulder length with your chin on the ground. Close your eyes and feel your breath and blood circulate through your body.

When your breathing returns to normal, turn your head to one side and take a few deep breaths. Turn your head to the other side and take a few more deep breaths. Relax for one minute and then begin your daily routine.

Here’s What Happens When You Tap These Points On Your Body

By physically using your fingers to tap specific energy points in your body, you can alleviate emotional distress, ease pain, and possibly even lose weight. Tapping is an easy, self-help technique that you can do almost anywhere when you are having a moment of anxiety or minor pain to feel better fast.

The science behind tapping is twofold. The first is that you are basically performing acupressure on yourself. The second is that you are using a self-help psychology technique to express your problems.

What acupressure does for you

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Acupressure is an alternative medicine technique for healing by using the fingers to press on key points in the body, which stimulates the body to heal itself. Acupressure originated around 5,000 years ago in Asia and has been adopted by many Western clinicians who want to offer their patients non-traditional medical options.

The pressure and rhythm applied to the body in acupressure can vary from vigorous shiatsu massage to slow kneading of larger muscles. Tapping is usually used for the face and head since these are sensitive areas with many nerve endings. By tapping your body rhythmically, you are also activating a calming response in your body to reduce stress.

Energy meridians in the body

You activate energy centers under the skin by touching the skin’s surface. Energy gets blocked due to trauma that we have experienced. These can be from both physical and emotional traumas. Tapping activates the energy flow to eliminate the blockage and restore balance to your body.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, There are twelve energy meridians in the body. Tapping along these meridians releases energy that travels throughout your body. The energy flow is necessary for blood circulation and all essential bodily functions.

Self-talk to express feelings

An essential part of EFT therapy is expressing the feelings that are creating the blockage of energy. In addition to tapping, you are verbally stating what is bugging you. Getting it off your chest by saying it aloud can immediately release tension.

After saying what is causing you to be stressed, angry or depressed, you say something genuinely kind to yourself. You accept yourself in spite of the bad feelings that you are experiencing. Then, as you tap, you continue to express the inner conflicts that upset you.

Here are the steps for EFT:

tap

1. State the problem and tap your hand

You begin by saying what you are experiencing that is causing the distress. For example, you might be worried about the pressure of planning an upcoming party. You might say, “Although I am stressed out about planning the holiday party, I love and accept myself.”

While you state aloud your problem and self-love statement, use the fingers of one hand to repeatedly tap the outer fleshy edge of your opposite hand below your pinky finger. You can tap as many fingers as you feel comfortable with either hand. Repeat your statement aloud three times while tapping.

2. Your eyebrow

Tap the spot on the inner edge of your eyebrow where the hair begins to grow. Either side of your head is fine to tap. Do what feels comfortable. As you do this, speak honestly about how you feel. Following our party planning example, you might say, “I’m stressed because there is so much to do for this party.” Spend about 10 seconds tapping each of the next several points on your body.

3. The outer eye

Tap the outer eye corner on the bone below your outer eyebrow hair. This can be on either side of your head. Again, say how you feel, for example, “I’m worried I’ll forget something important.”

4. The bone under your eye

Tap your fingers under your eye on the bone and again speak honestly about your feelings. For example, “I am exhausted.” Keep tapping for 10 seconds.

5. Under your nose

Tap under your nose and above your lip. Express more feelings, for example, “I’m afraid people will judge me.”

6. Your chin

Tap below your bottom lip in the crease of your chin for ten seconds while again saying aloud your feelings. For example, “Will it be good enough?”

7. Your collarbone

Tap your fingers against your collarbone for 10 seconds on either side of your body. Say something else you are feeling, such as “There’s not enough time.”

8. Under your arm

Tap your fingers and speak your feelings about two inches down from your armpit. For example, “I’m so stressed out.”

9. The crown of your head

Tap your fingers one last time and again say your feelings about what is causing you stress. For example, “I feel so stressed.”

10. Take a deep breath in and exhale it out.

Jessica Ortner, author of The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss and Body Confidence, demonstrates the basics of tapping your upper body in this video. Her book focuses on the emotional side of weight gain and how this simple tapping technique can release us from overeating due to stress.

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Final Thoughts on Learning to Tap Your Way to Better Health

Although this technique may help your body release whatever is blocking your energy, it is a quick solution you can use today. You can also seek the help of a professional to help you with tapping as therapy. The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) uses tapping as a form of psychological therapy. EFT is growing in popularity, and you can seek out a certified practitioner in EFT in your area here.

Here’s What Your Sleep Position Says About Your Relationship

Snuggling up to your partner at the end of a long day feels great, but it might also be a great way to build a lasting relationship. Sure, both of you need to get enough sleep. But how you share the bed with your other half could reflect how well you share in other areas of your relationship.

Sleeping with your partner is an intimate part of your relationship and you spend a good portion of your time together asleep. The nature of your relationship, whether good or bad, can be reflected by your sleeping positions.

Good sleep hygiene

We have a physical need for sleep to maintain good health and be able to function fully in our daily lives. Although scientists are still learning about the functions of sleep, they believe that sleep helps restore bodily systems, builds memories, and provides a release from stress experienced while awake.

Finding the right posture in bed can Be important for your overall level of comfort. No one wants to wake up with pain from a kink in their neck. Whether you sleep on your side, back, stomach or curled up, the position you’re in will affect your body differently.

Sleeping on your back may be the most comfortable if you’re dealing with neck or back pain. But if you’re prone to snoring, sleeping on your stomach may help open your airways a bit more. Some postures are also better for our appearance. For example, avoiding prolonged contact with your face with the pillow can reduce wrinkles.

Intimacy

The bed is where a lot of intimate activity takes place for couples. This makes it the stage for potential conflict due to miscommunication. One partner may interpret a signal by his lover to come to bed as a sign that they will have sex, while the other simply means that it is time to sleep.

Both partners need to have clear communication about signals for sex. Whether these are nonverbal cues like a deep passionate kiss or a verbal one like, “Honey, let’s go heat up the sheets,” both people need to know what is expected when they head to the bed.

Troubles in bed

Finding comfort for both partners can be a problem that makes couples resort to sleeping separately. Sleeping separately may not be the right solution, whether the disturbance is due to noise from snoring or conflict over the perfect sleeping temperature.

When partners cannot compromise on the environment they share in the bedroom, they are also likely to be experiencing conflict in other areas of the relationship. According to Dr. Laura Berman, sleeping apart means that couples miss opportunities to connect emotionally and intimately.

Solving sleeping problems

Dr. Berman suggests that it is worth solving sleep problems so that couples can reap the benefits that sleeping together provides. Couples who are able to sleep together sleep more soundly and may have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. High cortisol levels may cause serious health problems and lower life expectancy overall.

What your unconscious mind is trying to tell you

Your unconscious mind is awake while the rest of you sleeps. It’s the part of your mind that brings you vivid dreams and works out problems that you had during your waking hours. It also regulates your body functions and controls involuntary movements during the night.

If you fought with your partner during the day, you might not be surprised to find yourself turning your back on them while you sleep. Your body’s posture will still reflect your anger earlier in the day.

Or perhaps you were at fault for something that upset your partner earlier. This might be reflected in your lying facing your partner while he turns his back to you. Your waking attitudes toward each other are reflected in your sleeping positions.

sleepHere’s what your sleep position says about your relationship:

1. Face to face

Partners are connected intimately, and may want to drift off to sleep while talking

2. Back to back

Separate sleepers who respect each other’s need to be independent. This could indicate a lack of intimacy.

3. Facing the same direction

Often called spooning, the person on the inside is regarded as being protected by the outer partner. This can mean that the “big spoon” is the dominant partner in the relationship. Often this is an indicator of intimacy and could also be a way to initiate sex.

4. Entwined limbs

Partners are comfortable being literally and emotionally entangled. They are an intimate, honest power couple.

moving in with your partnerChanging positions throughout the night

We all move in our sleep, so don’t worry about always staying in the same position with your partner. As we sleep, we rarely stay in one position. We may move two to four times an hour.

If you wake up and find that you are no longer in the position you were in when you fell asleep, it’s not a problem. According to a survey of 1000 couples, the happiest were those who had some physical contact with their partner. Try to focus on maintaining at least some physical contact with your partner and then drift back to sleep.

Finding a sleeping position that meets your needs and your partner’s needs will make both of you happier and well-rested. Compromising in your relationship can build lasting happiness for your future together.

10 Ways To Clean Your Lymphatic System

You might not know it, but your lymphatic system is one of the most overlooked parts of your anatomy. It works hard to remove bacteria and fight infection. Instead of ignoring this import part of your body, here are some tips to clean your lymphatic system and get your body functioning at it’s best.

What is Lymph, Exactly?

Of course, you know about your immune system. It’s producing white blood cells to keep you healthy when a virus, bacteria or foreign body enters yours. But we rarely hear about the lymphatic system. Lymph is a clear or whitish fluid in your lymphatic system, which is a major part of your immune system. You have more lymph in your body than you do blood.

Lymph nodes produce white blood cells and filter lymph fluid. You can sometimes feel the bean-shaped lymph nodes when they are swollen. You will feel them in your armpits and neck. When you are sick and your doctor is feeling around your throat, this swelling of the lymph nodes is part of what she is feeling for.

Why Your Lymphatic System Needs Cleansing

The most well-known disease of the lymphatic system is lymphoma. Certain risk factors can contribute to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Some of these are genetic risks that are beyond our control but some are environmental exposures that we can avoid.

Helping your lymphatic system run optimally means that it is better able to fight disease. Since the lymphatic system is going to see anything foreign as something to be removed, avoiding overworking the system will make your lymph work better for you. Instead of working to remove chemicals that we ingest, it can remove disease instead.

Exposure to certain chemicals, infections and viruses, chronic immune system stimulation, and poor diet can all contribute to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Again, reducing the amount of stuff that your lymph system has to work to filter out can help it to be healthy to fight off major illnesses.

Here are 10 ways to clean the lymphatic system at home:

lymphatic-system

1. Eat clean

Cleaning your diet can also clean your lymph system. Since the system wants to remove anything that is not supposed to be there, avoiding processed foods helps it to run more efficiently. This includes avoiding chemicals, refined sugar, artificial flavorings, colors, additives, preservatives, etc.

2. Add water

Lymph fluid is mostly water, as is the human body. Dehydration only stresses the lymphatic system more and makes it less efficient. Drinking your full fluid intake as clean, clear water will help your lymphatic system flow well. Flush your system with a gallon of water per day.

3. Castor oil packs

Castor oil packs are used by applying castor oil to a piece of clean cotton fabric and placing them on the body in an area that needs cleansing. The area is wrapped in plastic and left in place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You can read about how to make an effective and mess-free castor oil pack here. Most often the pack is applied to the abdomen for aiding the lymphatic system.

4. Get Bouncy

Rebounding, or trampoline jumping, for 10 to 30 minutes gets your lymph fluid moving. Moving the lymphatic fluid through the body gets it to the lymph nodes where it can be cleaned.

5. Practice Yoga

Yoga poses such as legs up the wall (lying with legs elevated), half shoulder stand (legs and chest elevated, arms supporting the back) and downward dog (body in a upside down V) all move blood and lymph toward the heart. This speeds up the rate of filtering and cleaning of the lymphatic fluid.

6. Relax in a Sauna

Sweating with sauna therapy is another way to increase circulation, sweat out toxins and improve lymphatic flow for cleaning.

7. Massage

Lymphatic drainage massage is used to manually flush and detoxify the body. Lymphatic massage also works to treat lymphedema, which is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the body after lymph nodes during surgery, often for breast cancer surgery.

8. Exercise

Getting the blood flowing through exercise also helps the lymphatic system to flow. Simply walking is a good way to raise your heart rate and pump lymphatic fluid to where it can be cleaned in the lymph nodes.

9. Deep breathing

Concentrating on deeply inhaling so that you can feel the contraction in your diaphragm. The change in pressure in your chest forces lymphatic fluid upward from the extremities, where it can then be filtered and cleaned.

10. Herbal Tea

Certain herbs are best for lymph cleansing and a relaxing herbal tea can do the trick. Mix calendula, cleavers and mullein in a tea to help remove lymphatic toxins.

Safely detoxifying your lymphatic system will allow it to perform optimally and give you the best possible immune health. This way, your body will be ready for battle the next time it faces any internal opponent.

What Does Your Life Path Number Reveal About You?

Numerology can tell us in-depth information about our unique life paths which will enable us to realize our purpose and live it on a daily basis. All numbers carry with them a certain vibration that affects everything from your perception of life to your personality to what kinds of clothes you like to wear.

Your life path number is no different. It can assist you in knowing your strengths and weaknesses and ultimately guide you to make choices in your life that align with your best interests.

Here’s how to calculate your life path number

If your birthday (the day life began outside the womb) lands on July 18, 1991; to calculate the life path number, you would add up all the digits until I end up with a single digit.

For example:

7 + 18 +1991 = 2,016

2 + 0 + 1 + 6 = 36

3 + 6 = 9

So, your life path number would be a 9. There will be more explanation as to what that means, along with all other life numbers, below.

Here’s What Your Life Path Number Reveals About You:

 

1. The Purposeful

1’s are the type of people who love coming up with new inventions and ways of doing things, and ideas just seem to come to them effortlessly. However, they like to do things their way, and they can have trouble tolerating other people’s lifestyles and decisions.

Well-Known 1’s: Tom Hanks, Hulk Hogan, and Wynona Judd

2. The Helper

2’s might identify with the term “empath” because they often put other’s needs above their own, and care deeply about the well-being of others. They can’t stand isolation, and probably have a tight-knit circle of friends to keep them company. While they might not warm up to others easily, their shyness melts away when they find friends who really understand them.

Well-Known 2’s: President Bill Clinton, Madonna, Mozart, and Whoopi Goldberg

3. The Spiritual

Also known as the life of the party, 3’s love any chance to have the spotlight on them and enjoy the attention from others. They have a certain charm about them, and they know how to carry a conversation. They often talk more than they listen, though, and can seem a bit insensitive at times, although they can. Finally, they have a big heart but are frequently misunderstood.

Well-Known 3’s: Melanie Griffith and Jodi Foster

4. The Balanced

4’s have been known to stick to balanced routines, and rarely step outside their comfort zone or adopt new principles of living. They often have conservative values, and believe in the idea of hard work to earn their place on this Earth. 4’s enjoy time spent in nature, and tend to shy away from modern entertainment. Their weakness is that they can sometimes be stubborn and closed off to new ideas.

Well-Known 4’s: Oprah Winfrey, Neil Diamond, and Arnold Schwarzenegger

5. The Fighter

They don’t like anyone telling them what to do, and steer clear of anything encouraged by the mainstream. They have a fierce independence about them, and have a hard time understanding modern society. 5’s are drawn to the arts, as creative expression serves as an outlet for them. They may have been called “problem children” in the past due to their adamant opposition to authority and rules.

6. The Optimist

An eternal optimist, the romantic lives with their head in the clouds, dreaming of a perfect world and wanting to offer a positive contribution somehow. They sometimes focus too much on what they can’t change, though, and the state of affairs in the world can bring them down if they don’t divert their attention. Moreover, they have a close relationship with their family, and make a very loyal friend or partner.

They might consider becoming a teacher to share their wisdom about the world and help them feel like they’re making an impact on society.

Well-Known 6’s: Albert Einstein, Christopher Columbus, and Meryl Streep

7. The Realist

A natural-born intellectual, 7’s are highly analytical and logical. They make decisions based on their thoughts, not emotions. These folks love doing research and learning about exciting new topics. They might seem cold and unfeeling to others, but they just don’t wear their heart on their sleeve. However, they still care underneath the surface.

Well-Known 7’s: William Shakespeare, Lucille Ball, and Michael Jackson

8. The Leader

Always wanting to accomplish more, go one step further, and reach a higher rung on the ladder, 8’s are definitely Type A people. They have great ambition and willpower, and don’t like leaving a job unfinished. They like to tackle big challenges and solve problems, and would do well in a leadership role. However, they need to take heed not to let their power go to their head.

Well-Known 8’s: Barbara Streisand, Picasso, and Aretha Franklin

9. The Entertainer

Very gregarious and sociable, 9’s love to make people laugh and show them a good time. They make friends easily, and have an irresistible charm about them. They would do well as a comedian or some sort of performer, as they enjoy entertaining others.

Well-Known 9’s: Jimmy Carter, Elvis Presley, and Harrison Ford

Let us know your number and please share with your friends to find out their life number!

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