The Hidden Manipulation Series
Why I Created This Series
Women deal with manipulation every day, but a lot of it doesn’t look like abuse.
It looks like patience, and can sometimes feel like “giving him time.”
It looks like “trying to understand him.”
It looks like confusion, second-guessing, or feeling “dramatic.”
This series breaks down the quiet, subtle, and hidden behaviors that many men use to control emotionally strong women.
Not to bash men, but to give women language, clarity, and confirmation.
Part 1 ~ The Compliment That Isn’t a Compliment
Some men don’t come at you with insults.
They come at you with fake compliments, aimed right at the things you’re insecure about.
And the wild part is… It’s not to make you feel better.
It’s to make you second-guess yourself.
They’ll say things like:
“Your little belly is cute.”
“I like your gap.”
“I actually like girls with… like yours.”
“Your stretch marks are kinda sexy.”
“I like that you’re shy.”
“I don’t know why you hate your thighs. I like it that way.”
It sounds sweet on the surface.
But it hits a weird spot in your chest.
Why?
Because they’re pointing out something you’ve already struggled with, just dressing it up as a compliment.
And THIS is where the manipulation comes in:
It throws you off.
You’re unsure if it’s genuine or shade.
It keeps you self-conscious.
You start fixating on that thing more.
It lowers your guard.
You think he “accepts you,” so you ignore other red flags.
It gives him inside access to your insecurities.
Now he knows exactly where your confidence cracks.
To him, it’s a little joke.
To you, it may feel confusing, and confusion is often the doorway to control.
A real compliment makes you stand taller.
A manipulative compliment makes you shrink a little, even if you smile.
And that’s the difference.
If the compliment leaves you feeling more aware of your insecurity and not more confident, he wasn’t uplifting you. He was mentally checking where your weak spots are.
That’s not love.
That’s strategy.
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