You'll never be able to fully express or embody your true self around narcissists. It will never be safe. You'll always have to tone yourself down in every aspect or they will cut you down, even if they've built you up. You must leave at least emotionally if you can't physically. #grownostr 
Most of it is about shame. It's much easier for a narcissist to find something to shame you about, than ever face the shame they feel. They want you to feel worse, so they feel less bad. They don't want to and are unwilling to do the work to feel better themselves and there's nothing you can do about it. #grownostr 
Contrary to the popular belief, narcissists don't love themselves. They love the illusion they create of the wonderful person they want people to think they are. They of course don't care about actually becoming this, just everyone else having this image of them. #grownostr 
The worst part of projection from a narcissist is the way they twist it in a way that we begin to believe it's our own thoughts. Whether it's our beliefs about ourselves or the things they are doing to us. Everything will be put on us in an attempt for us to believe it about ourselves. #grownostr 
Or at least this is what most people think. They actually don't love themselves or anyone else. Their only love is of more supply. Since there's never enough of more, their life is an endless meaningless pursuit of taking everything they can from everyone only to still feel empty! #grownostr 
No one is truly safe around narcissists. Collateral damage is a constant around them if you're fortunate not to be the target. No one is innocent in their world except for them. There's no length they won't go to to get what they want even if it destroys them in the process. #grownostr
Narcissists thrive on making others feel small by undermining their confidence and self-worth. They manipulate, belittle, and devalue others to maintain a sense of superiority and control. This allows them to feed their own ego while keeping others dependent and insecure. #grownostr
The only history that matters is the one that makes them look good and innocent. It doesn't matter if they have to reframe, manipulate or flat out lie. They will never be accountable for anything even, and especially when there's clear proof. It will be erased or ignored. #grownostr
To be clear, they don't care about anyone else. They don't want anyone else to feel better than them, unless they can take credit for it. Even then, they'll cut you back down immediately. Since they're always miserable, everyone around them must be more miserable so they don't feel bad. #grownostr
This is not easy with seemingly more and more narcissists everywhere, or perhaps our awareness of them now. It is possible to greatly limit interactions and connections. They don't need to know any more than is necessary to interact with them and only if we must. #grownostr
I suppose the exception is they are genuinely narcissists, which is anything but genuine. This is because they have no sense of self or who they are. Everything they do is to manipulate for more of everything. There is never enough of more and it will never be enough. #grownostr
Narcissists simply will not own up to, acknowledge or change anything. They would rather burn down their entire life than admit anything. This is why we simply must leave. Talking or letting them know often makes things worse and gives them time to destroy even more things. Just get out ASAP! #grownostr
In reality, it doesn't really matter if they're a narcissist or not. If they are toxic to your life and your peace and not actively changing things, it probably won't change. The real question is if you want to continue to live in toxicity. #grownostr
In order to let go of emotions, we must first allow them to be there and face them. Only then can we use logic to help processing them. They must be acknowledged. Thinking that logically "we shouldn't feel like this" is avoiding and suppressing, not acknowledging and feeling. #grownostr
Narcissists intend to degrade and belittle you in subtle ways and make you think that's what you think about yourself. This is one of the ways they can lock you in to them forever because you begin to believe THEY are the best you'll ever get. It was and is a complete lie! You are enough! #grownostr
Everyone wants peace in their lives, or at least we say we do. The reality is that we can only have the level of peace we are willing to work for especially after toxic relationships. We must face and heal the demons we have been burying to truly feel the peace inside of us. #grownostr
Unless you are being discarded, there is never enough that you can give up or give to them that narcissists will let you go. They believe they own and are entitled to you. You must take you life back yourself. It will never be easy, but it isn't easy staying either. #grownostr
Narcissists will always expect you to choose them over everyone including yourself. However, they will never choose you. It isn't fair or right, but it's the truth. It doesn't mean we have to tell them this, but it does mean we need to be conscious so we can choose what's right for us. #grownostr
Narcissists are masters of deception. If they think you are going to leave and they don't want you to, they will change things. Let's be clear though, this is only enough and for long enough to keep you there. Then it's back to business as usual. #grownostr
