Not everyone is as manipulative as some, but we all seem to have some tendencies towards manipulation, on a sliding scale per se, as the circumstances suit us. When we find that compatible match and we are in a romantic relationship with someone, many times the walls start to come down as we begin to get to know each other better and then our true colors come into play; this is not always for the best situation; however, any conflict can become a learning experience if we allow it to be one. Of course, manipulation does not even have to wait until we are further along in our dating relationship when we are more comfortable with someone. Manipulation can even occur on a first date. So, what’s so bad about manipulation anyway and how can we avoid it and learn to coexist in a mature dating relationship with our compatible match?

According to Webster’s, manipulate means “to manage artfully or shrewdly, often in an unfair way; and to alter (figures etc.) for one’s own purposes.” That doesn’t sound too nice, but we oftentimes do exhibit this behavior in our relationships, even if we are dating someone who we deem to be a compatible match. The key here is that manipulation is done in “an unfair way