Wedding planning is easily one of the most stressful times in life. You want your special day to be perfect, but effortless, but also so that your partner is fully invested. During these times, the most sacred and hidden characteristics of ours arise. For example, narcissism.

Narcissism is not what you think. While some people meet the clinical criteria for NPD, many others simply show narcissistic traits, like needing validation or insisting on being right. Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder that affects 1% of people and is actually subject to treatment
These traits don’t always mean you have NPD. And even if a person thinks about how to stop being a narcissist in a relationship, they may not even have the needed traits. Perhaps it’s just a phase in their life.

Regardless, feeling narcissistic can still create real tension in wedding planning and relationships in general. Partners are the first to notice a change in behavior since wedding planning reveals the parts of ourselves we try to hide.
The good news? With self-awareness and effort, a person with narcissistic traits can learn how to stop being a narcissist in a relationship and build healthier, more supportive connections.

How to Not Be a Narcissist: 8 Tips

photo by  Fabio Photography – full wedding here

Changing narcissistic patterns isn’t about changing every minute detail about your personality. You can still be funny, smart, and a respected person, but also one who knows how to handle conflict. Each of these tips is designed to give you practical tools you can use while planning a wedding.

1.    Explore Your Anger Issues

Anger and narcissism overlap. Studies show that people with narcissistic traits are vulnerable to perceived rejection. With or without provocation, they are still hostile and can get irritated quickly or yell. This makes their partners feel unsafe.

Have you noticed that when something goes even slightly off the plan, you or your partner go off the rails? Anger in narcissistic people usually hides deeper fears, like losing control or fear of failure/judgment. The first step to stop being a narcissist is to explore your anger issues, for example, https://breeze-wellbeing.com/anger-test/ here. If you find that you often get irritable during small disagreements, it may be because you’re feeling like others can never get you right.

If frequent anger is something you can relate to, it is highly advisable to address it first. Without knowing how to regulate your emotions, it’d be very hard not to be a narcissist. Remember, managing anger doesn’t make you weak; it makes you vulnerable, but also trustworthy.

2.    Listen to Others

One of the hardest habits to break when planning a wedding is accepting the advice of others. “What do they know? It’s our wedding,” someone may think. That’s because you filter everything through you and your defensive lens. But part of working on narcissistic traits is truly listening.

Don’t assume your partner, parents, wedding planners, etc., are criticizing or attacking you. Hear them out. Most of the time, people bring up issues or suggestions because they also want your wedding to be perfect, not because they want to hurt you.

To stop being a narcissist in a relationship, try:

• Active listening techniques. For example: repeat back what your partner said in your own words before responding (“So what I hear is that you felt ignored when I chose a music band without you. Is it correct?”).
• Avoid turning every conversation into a debate or proof that you’re right. Instead, treat their perspective as valid, even if it’s different from yours. With time, listening openly builds trust and makes your partner feel safe being vulnerable with you.

photo by  White Diamond Photo – full wedding here

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