The second cue involves creating physical space in a very specific manner. This isn’t about backing away in fear or protecting yourself from pressure; rather, it’s about changing your posture to clearly communicate, “I’m not available for access.” One simple way to do this is to lean back slightly or step back while lifting your chin just a bit.
When you sit or stand upright and create a bit of space while slightly raising your chin, your body broadcasts calm dominance rather than submission. It communicates: “I’m not intimidated. I’m not caving in, and I’m not a workable target.”
Consider the difference between keeping your chin slightly up and dropping your chin while hunching your shoulders forward. The former creates space while the latter signals submission or appeasement, expressing uncertainty, anxiety, or passivity. This posture effectively says, “Go ahead and manipulate me. I’m here for it.”
To avoid this, create space with an upright posture and a slightly elevated chin. Your body will send a different message—it conveys dominance and sets boundaries. It tells others that you are not orienting yourself toward them. This is powerful because narcissists constantly scan for bodies that adapt to them: those that lean in, collapse inward, or unconsciously move closer to maintain connection. When you lean back and lift your chin, or simply remain relaxed, you silently communicate, “I’m not here to serve you.” To manipulators, you are no longer usable, and this often is enough to change the dynamic.
If you want custom tools to understand the specific dynamics you’re in—how you operate, how they manipulate, and how to shut it down—I’ve integrated this into my unmanipulatable training. You can start with the narcissist protection checklist; the link is below, and I’ll send you a private offer to access it.
Cue #3
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