Have you ever received repeated “mixed, vague or unclear” messages from a potential romantic partner, a friend, a boss, or anyone? It is important to realize that how you choose to respond to “mixed messages” and lack of clear communication can consciously and unconsciously demonstrate your level of self-respect.
Allow me to explain. It is true that often people can innocently be unclear and confused and it is respectful and important to ask for clarity in any communication. But there is also a point in every relationship where if you continue getting mixed messages and the person you are engaging with cannot or will not provide clarity, it may be time to draw boundaries and move on.
These simple and powerful tips can prevent you from getting sucked into a potentially manipulative situations, create powerful boundaries, deal with inauthentic communication, and radiate a powerful level of self-respect.
• Someone who respects you does their best to be clear. They want you to understand. They want to be understood and feel that connection.
• If someone is sending mixed messages, they are usually unclear about what they want.
• Do not build the foundation of any relationship on mixed messages or lack of clarity.
• Mixed messages leave a lot of room for assumptions on all sides of the conversation.
• It is easy to project “a fantasy” onto vagueness of what you hope or want to see.
• The onus is always on the individual to communicate what they want not for you to figure it out.
• In any relationship, you are not obligated to “help” that person get clear on what they want.
You deserve so much more than a person who does not know what they want, cannot offer you a clear “YES” or cannot be honest with you or themselves.
You are not obligated to wait for more clarity.
Don’t put yourself or your life “on hold” for another.
Don’t attempt to guess what is going on.
Don’t hope that they eventually will offer more.
Don’t settle for crumbs of communication or connection when you deserve the feast.
Don’t disrespect yourself by waiting for “something” to happen.
Every “undecided” answer is really a “NO”. Also realize that “MAYBE” is not a clear yes, it is only a potential of what could happen. But until something happens that MAYBE is a still a “NO”. Move on with your life and treat any of those “mixed signals” as a “NO”.
The quickest way to cut through the noise and confusion of “mixed messages” from anyone is to choose to treat every mixed signal as a “NO”. This demands clarity and commands self-respect in your relationship. Do not settle for anything less that that!
