Feeling misunderstood, unheard, and unsupported are all parts of communicating with a narcissist. Communicating with narcissists is challenging. After conversations with them, you have probably felt drained, and mentally exhausted. Their selfish nature often makes it difficult for them to see beyond their perspective.
Generally, when you try to share your point of view with a narcissist you will experience multiple methods of manipulation. Gaslighting, blame-shifting, projecting, deflecting, and more. This post will teach you some effective practical communication tips to help the narcissist see your point of view.
How do you get a narcissist to see your point of view? The short answer is you don’t. Because narcissists are self-focused it is hard for them to see outside of themselves. It helps to communicate clearly, directly, and efficiently. Keep reading, I am going to show you how.
Recognize and Respect Your Truth
You must practice validating yourself. A huge part of being with a narcissist is about the invalidations you experience. Without knowing it you can be invalidated by the narcissist, family, friends, and society. Commonly, people do not consider how much they invalidate themselves. Recognizing and respecting your truth allows you the opportunity to self-validate. Being able to notice the narcissist’s manipulations and then stand firm in your truth makes you less likely to be thrown off course by the narcissist’s behavior and words.
Part of being able to communicate effectively with narcissists is not gaslighting yourself. Being able to identify what your truth is and why it matters to you is important. This will help you when the narcissist attempts to manipulate you by confusing, dismissing, and other forms of manipulation tactics. Being able to know what your truth is and why it is in alignment with your values is important.
Cultivate Self-Compassion
Self-compassion is one of the keys that unlock the doors to healthy communication. Instead of judging yourself harshly for past and present mistakes consider those moments as learning opportunities for you. Before you knew what a narcissist was you probably had no idea of just how devious people could be in real life and not a horror movie. Although trying to get a narcissist to see your point of view is a nightmare you can learn how to communicate effectively with a narcissist.
Practice giving yourself compassion and genuine concern. Considering your best interest separate from the narcissist does not make you selfish. This act of self-compassion demonstrates your ability to care deeply about yourself and your well-being.
Do NOT be Manipulated by the Narcissist
A narcissist’s heart is motivated by doing what is best for them even if it is at your expense. There is no surefire amount of patience, empathy, and perfect sentence formation that will completely break the barrier of self-focused narcissism. Remember, you are dealing with an individual that operates out of what is in it from me point of view. Do not let your compassion and empathy for someone be the reason they can manipulate and hurt you.
It is not your responsibility to restore the narcissists from their wounds. Their insecurities, fears, and avoidance of shame are not your responsibility to repair. The narcissist must be willing to do their work. The motivation for them to address their issues must come from them.
You can acknowledge a narcissist’s point of view and perspective without having to diminish your own. Their insecurities, fears, and motivations must be adjusted for them based on their efforts to improve. You are not responsible for creating an emotional bridge that allows the narcissist to come in and harm you. Being kind does not mean allowing yourself to be disrespected.
Sometimes narcissists will falsely justify their actions based on their previous experiences and traumas. Their previous experiences and trauma do not justify disrespect to you or others.
Narcissist Motivations and Modeling Empathy
Narcissists crave validation and attention, so acknowledging their emotions makes them feel good. This does not mean they are going to see your point of view. When you validate a narcissist, they see this gesture as approval and acceptance.
Modeling empathy and compassion doesn’t get you as far as you would like with a narcissist. It is very difficult for them to see outside of their perspective, so their attempts to consider your point of view are short-lived. They may be able to see it momentarily. Ultimately, they will return to their continued distorted way of thinking. Their automatic thoughts and intentions are about and for their best interest first.
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GET THE DOWNLOADSProvide Concrete Examples
Because narcissists often struggle to empathize with abstract concepts or hypothetical scenarios, examples can be helpful. Use relatable subjects to potentially help them gain insight into your point of view. Providing specific real-life examples and situations that demonstrate the impact of their actions or behavior by presenting tangible evidence.
Providing concrete examples makes it more difficult for narcissists to dismiss your concerns as mere exaggerations or misunderstandings. This approach helps ground the conversation in reality. Focusing on the facts make escaping the reality of matters with a narcissist harder for them to ignore or invalidate.
Do not be surprised if you still get puzzled looks, squinched brows, and head-tilted dog faces. At least you will know you have attempted to help them see your point of view. The narcissist may still attempt to manipulate you.
Set Boundaries
Your well-being throughout the process of dealing with a narcissist must require boundaries. Part of focusing on your well-being is setting clear boundaries to protect yourself. Not only are you protecting yourself from emotional, mental, and financial manipulation boundaries are also about protecting yourself from abuse. Narcissists are skilled at exploiting vulnerabilities, so it’s essential to establish limits on what you are willing to tolerate.
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FIND JOYCommunicate Effectively with the Narcissist
Consider using the B.I.F.F. Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm method with a splash of Grey Rock when you communicate with a narcissist. The B.I.F.F. method was created by Dr. Bill Eddy LCSW, ESQ. It is generally used for high-conflict communication difficulties.
Brief
Be brief when sharing information. Do not engage in lengthy conversations. When engaging with a narcissist, it’s important to maintain a calm and assertive demeanor. Choose your words carefully. Use clear and concise language, that leaves no room for ambiguity.
Informative
Share the facts, only the facts. Do not share emotions, or why a certain subject matter is important to you. Expressing additional information and emotional connections provides the narcissist with opportunities to manipulate.
Friendly
When communicating with a narcissist do not be confrontational. Monitor your tone of voice and remain calm. Do not present in a threatening manner as it could agitate the narcissist and you. Be careful when you are friendly in your communication. Be cautious about being so friendly that it encourages the narcissist to think you agree with their behavior.
Firm
Be firm in your communication. Be confident when you are speaking about what you need to share with the narcissist. When decisions must be made provide two options you are comfortable with to present to the narcissist.
Grey Rock Method of Communication with a Narcissist
One additional tip for communication with a narcissist is using the Grey Rock Response. It is a way of disengaging from the narcissist. You practice it by treating the conversation with the narcissist as interesting as a grey rock. Do not give the narcissist a lot of energy when engaging. Be direct when answering questions. Speak with factual points. Do not engage emotionally. Monitor your body language. No nods or shrugs. Do not engage in drama, back and forth communication. Be as boring, non-responsive, and uninterested as possible. Do not give them details about your life.
It’s About You Honoring Your Point of View
Even if the narcissist does not get your point of view, you know what is important to you. While attempting to get the narcissist to see your point of view may not work in the ways you hope at all times know that your efforts to validate and support yourself of primary. Prioritize your well-being throughout the process and seek support when needed.
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