Not that they would have one, because they believe they are entitled to all of it — attention, accolades, accomplishments. But if they were honest, here is what they might pray for.
May I continue to receive the attention and support I crave, never having to give it in return, for this is simply as it should be.
May I retain my looks, for they help me attract admiration, and without this I am nothing.
May I grow in my ability to confuse, manipulate and coerce those around me, particularly my closest family members, for this makes me feel large and powerful.
May new targets be blind to my mirroring their interests and qualities, for this makes them think they have met their soul mate.
May my partner be always less than me, in success, looks, and intelligence, for I must be the most important and admired one in the relationship.
May my targets believe my false promises for the future, for this keeps them behaving well as they wait for a payoff that never comes.
May I always get my way, for I am right and all others are misguided and wrong.
May I get all the praise for the good and none of the blame for the bad in terms of everything that happens around me, for this is simply my due.
May my children adore me and support me no matter how controlling, dominating, or neglectful I am as a parent, for they are here to reflect my glory, not to live their own lives.
May I cause others to cower with my anger and dysregulation, for they must respect me and put me first or earn my wrath.
May I continue to get away with cheating, lying, stealing, and other immoral and even illegal behaviors, for these stimulate me in a boring world.
May I cause others to feel sorry for me, for this keeps them from calling me out on my bulls**t and gets me valuable goodies such as money, housing, and other help.
May I be surrounded by enablers and enforcers who help me to manipulate, control, and keep others in line, for this makes my life so much easier and takes the heat off of me.
May couples therapists continue to believe that all arguments are “co-created” for this makes it possible for me to keep on abusing and controlling my partner.
May the personal development field keep stressing personal responsibility above all else, for this keeps my targets questioning themselves and not me.
May the world continue to see my traits not as toxic, but as “strong,” “confident,” and “good leadership,” for this enables my natural behavior without consequences.
And lastly, I desperately pray may I never be exposed or found out, for underneath it all I am terrified I am but a shell with no value.
—————————-
A professional coach can help you unpack all the treatment you received in a narcissistic relationship/toxic workplace. Contact Ann to talk about one-to-one coaching.
—
This post was previously published on butnowiknowyourname.wordpress.com and is republished on Medium.
***
You may also like these posts on The Good Men Project:
 White Fragility: Talking to White People About Racism |
 Escape the “Act Like a Man” Box |
 The Lack of Gentle Platonic Touch in Men’s Lives is a Killer |
 |
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Photo credit: iStock
