Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. The person who holds onto resentment hurts himself and his loved ones much more than his intended target.
Typical symptoms of pathological resentment include: sudden, irrational outbursts of rage, moodiness, emotional withdrawal, depression and loss of interest in favorite activities.
Resentment has a deep-seated, smoldering quality; unlike anger, it is rarely openly expressed, particularly to the object of the resentment. Loved ones are the most frequently impacted by collateral damage.
Many people overrate their inability to let go of past hurts and underrate their ability to make meaningful changes in the present and the future.
Episodes of pathological resentment are often periodic; when in the grip of these episodes: caution loved ones that you are feeling low; try to minimize the hurt you may inflict on others; if you so believe, seek help and guidance from a Higher Power. Avoid just entirely giving in to your mood; you are still in charge, not your moods.
That feelings of resentment seem justified and you feel entitled to them is no good reason to hold onto and cherish them. You need to forgo punishing the offending party in order to stop poisoning yourself.
One reason we find it difficult to let go of resentment is that resentment often masks a deep-seated and frightening sense of vulnerability; not to worry, you can learn other, more constructive ways to take care of that vulnerability.
Forgiveness is the key to happiness. Without learning to forgive others who have offended us, we can never learn to forgive ourselves.
Our healing process is accelerated when we shift out focus from those who have hurt or offended us to those who have helped and supported us.
You can learn to practice forgiveness and gratitude in your life in small ways that most people may not even notice, until you grow in confidence and desire to practice them more openly.
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