27/05/2025
Indeed!
"Some people want you to act out of character, and they'll go to great lengths to provoke you. Chances are, they’ve already created a narrative about you — a story where you’re the villain, the unstable one, or the problem — and now they’re just waiting for you to play your part. Please, don’t fall into this trap.
It’s not about who you really are; it’s about who they need you to be to justify their own behavior, insecurities, or need for control. If they can push you to explode, lash out, or lose your calm, then they win — not because they’re right, but because you’ve handed them the evidence they were looking for. And often, this isn’t just a momentary manipulation; it’s part of a deeper pattern. These people study your buttons, learn your triggers, and wait for the perfect opportunity to press them — not because they want resolution, but because they want validation for the distorted view they've built.
But you don’t owe anyone that kind of performance. You are not responsible for playing the role they’ve scripted for you. The greatest power you can hold is to stay rooted in who you are, even when others try to drag you out of character. Protect your energy. Hold your ground. There is strength in restraint, wisdom in silence, and peace in refusing to entertain chaos. Let their projections crumble in the absence of your reaction.
You don’t need to prove anything to people who are committed to misunderstanding you. Let them talk. Let them twist. Let them reveal themselves by the way they try to provoke you. Meanwhile, you keep showing up with grace, dignity, and self-control. That is your power. And it’s untouchable.”
✍️cttra
🎨credit to the artist via Pinterest