Once someone carries a grudge, what they’re doing is allowing someone they despise or don’t like, to control their emotions,. This by usually getting upset or irate. What infuriates them, is despite all their efforts, they just can’t detract themselves from reacting.
As a result, they feel defeated and scorned. Know a grudge is a one-sided emotion, that’s experienced just by that person alone, while the other doesn’t know or care.
Once someone holds a grudge, what they feel is their anger, envy or jealousy starting to boil over.
What they might do is compare themselves to that person, and then realize they don’t either measure up, or are constantly defeated by them.
So they try to disrupt them some how. If they’re not able to, they become frustrated and look for ways to aggravate or seek revenge.
Those who hold a grudge against someone, has a mindset of being competitive and jealous. They constantly compare themselves to people because of their low self-esteem.
The problem with grudges, is the venom they spew at times lacks accountability.
1.) – Where Does The Grudge Stem From
Begin by finding out why you hold a grudge on someone. Often, it’s reliving an experience of inadequacy, something that happened in the past.
It can also be a means of dealing with a present anger, such as feeling stress and anxiety towards oneself or someone else.
So be honest with yourself. Does the feelings of holding this grudge rear its ugly head, simultaneously, with feeling threatened.
Never use this as an opportunity to bash yourself, or anyone else. Being compassionate regarding your self-assessment is the key, to remaining objective about your emotions.
2.) – Compliment Instead Of Criticize
Rather than working yourself up into a frenzy, by lashing out hate towards someone, instead, direct that energy towards complimenting them.
What’s needed is getting yourself into the proper mindset, that’s genuine enough so you won’t come across as being a lunatic, sarcastic or phony.
What this requires, is altering your emotional state of mind. What this does is cleans the slate, rather than spiralling into hatred, jealousy or resentment.
3.) – The Success Of Others Shouldn’t Deter Yours
If someone you despise experiences success and you don’t, you instinctively think you’ve lost. The reason for this is because of your competitive low self-esteem mindset.
What happens, is the subconscious mind will default to what occurred in the past between you two.
For instance, say mom made one of her delicious apple pies. What you always had to do, was get your elbows in there, fight off others, to get your piece.
What the “competitive” mindset does, is it robs you of your well being, which is a complete waste of time.
Someone who experiences success, has nothing to do with you or your lack of success. There’s enough pie for everyone.
4.) – Place More Focus On Yourself
What you’re allowing is your energy to be sapped out by holding a grudge. This because you have no goals or objectives in your life.
Since you have no direction, what you’ll dwell on is the life of others. You become obsessed and envious of them. So you need to focus more on your own life instead.
This is similar to a hamster running on a wheel, going nowhere. What you need is to establish direction in your life. What you need is purpose, and not worry or care about what others are doing.
So make sure you know what you want for yourself, and then set your focus on it. Mind your own business. Refuse to allow someone to distract your life.
So get active, as ruminating and stewing about your life not currently going well, just invites envy.
5.) – Alter The Subject Matter
If you’re suddenly overwhelmed by feelings of holding a grudge, as someone is babbling away on how successful their life is, then change the subject. This by steering the conversation into another direction.
Alter the subject towards something that’s more neutral, such as an upcoming event, a new project at work, or a recent night out that you’ve had. Avoid getting upset, or frustrated.
6.) – Know What Triggers The Grudge
What this requires is reminiscing. What’s needed, is finding out what the causes of your “beliefs” are in the past, which boils over your anger. The ones holding you back, and causing this grudge.
Doing so can be a painful and troublesome experience, because you’re basically admitting to yourself a belief you’ve previously held, may not be true.
Begin looking for generalized thoughts, such as, “Everyone wants to take advantage of me” or “What if this person leaves me, then I’ll be alone forever” or “I am not smart enough.”
Know beliefs aren’t permanent, and they can be altered, improved or removed. What it can prove to be however, is a difficult process. Being aware of them is a start.
Know your immediate thoughts, is a response from the subconscious brain. You’re also not in control of the negative thoughts it produces.
Developing mindfulness towards them, can alter these responses.
7.) – Monitor How You Respond
Isolate the exact area, where you think this grudge you’re experiencing is stemming from. Is it in the pit of your stomach, or in the jaw or throat area, as the muscles tighten.
What’s also possible is feeling several emotions at once, such as insecurity and anger, turning into a grudge. It can also shift elsewhere, once you’re aware of them.
What the brain will automatically do, is protect you by forcing you to think of the worst possible scenario as a safety precaution, so be aware of that.
8.) – Realize Grudges Are Futile
Someone you hold a grudge or resentment against, how they act or what they say, has nothing to do with you. They don’t do it to spite you.
Most also have no idea you’re holding this grudge against them, so you’re steaming on your own.
Take control of your feelings, develop the power to transform them. Otherwise, you’re allowing someone else to control your life.
As a result, these feelings of holding a grudge won’t go away, unless you allow it to.