How Do You Let Go of Resentment?
How Do You Let Go of Resentment?
So, how do you let go of resentment? After all, humans are supposed to feel all emotions, yet there are a few that might cause us more harm than good in the long term. One of them is resentment. Feeling resentful can limit your freedom, so you might be curious to learn how to let go of it.
In the sections that follow, we’ll discuss typical causes of resentment, the long-term effects of holding onto it, and practical strategies for coping with this difficult feeling.
What Is Resentment?
An unpleasant emotional response to mistreatment is known as resentment. Resentment can stem from a variety of things, yet in most situations, it stems from a perception that someone else has treated you poorly or harmed you.
It’s common to feel disappointed and frustrated in life. However, these emotions might lead to resentment when they become too strong. When this happens, relationships could get damaged or terminated, because both trust and affection have been severely impacted by it. Recognizing this, it becomes urgent to find ways to cope with resentment.
Anger, disappointment, bitterness, and hard feelings are just a few of the complex emotions that a person harboring resentment may experience. Therefore, acknowledging these emotions and understanding that they are a natural part of the resentment process is important.
Signs of Resentment
It might be difficult to spot resentment in others. This is due to the fact that it’s a complex emotion that may simultaneously incorporate a wide range of emotions. In general, someone who is resentful believes they have been wronged. That is why they might:
- Feel tension whenever they’re with someone they think has mistreated them
- Refrain from arguing with someone
- Dwell on the event or exchange of ideas
- Talk about someone behind their back
- Refuse to acknowledge their feelings or to discuss the matter at all
- Withdraw both physically and emotionally from the person they have grudges against
When talking about emotions that are connected with resentment, most people who have experienced it also notice they feel other emotions, such as:
- Anger
- Bitterness
- Frustration
- Hard feelings
- Hostility
- Uneasiness
The Benefits of Resentment
As we know, an emotion is not good or bad on its own. For every bad thing that happens because of resentment, there are also good things that happen because of it. To let go of something, you need to understand it better and be grateful for the message or release that it was a coincidence.
Therefore, these are just a few ways that short-term resentment is trying to help you:
- Protect yourself from getting hurt again
- Make you feel safe from experiencing vulnerability
- Advocate for your own self-worth and integrity
- Develop a sense of power and control in your life
- Avoid difficult situations and conflicts
- Avoid responsibility
Letting Go of Resentment
Consider talking to your doctor if you think that your resentment is getting out of control. They might suggest that you see a psychiatrist or psychologist and talk through your emotions and let go of the resentment this way.
The solution for resentment might differ from person to person, as the causes are not the same in every person. Thus, forgiveness and coming to terms with what happened so that you may go on with your life are crucial steps on the healing journey.
1. Learn What’s Holding You Back
What emotions come up for you when you think about letting go of resentment? It’s common to experience a wide range of emotions when trying to let go of resentment, particularly if the resentment has been carried out for an extended period of time. These feelings include resistance, fear, and rage.
2. Self-Love First
Some people use resentment as a coping mechanism to deal with uncomfortable or difficult feelings. However, long-term effects may result from this, even if it feels comforting at first. Having compassion for oneself promotes healing and enables you to deal with your suffering in a compassionate and conscious manner.
3. Be Empathetic
Finding out why the thing or someone made you angry enables you to identify possible miscommunications. Additionally, try to look at things from a different angle to see if you might lessen your resentment.
4. Practice Gratitude
It’s common to become overwhelmed by everything going on around you. Nevertheless, concentrating on the positive aspects of your life may increase your level of happiness and optimism. Reflecting on the things and people you have gratitude for may also be beneficial.
Why You Should Let Go of Resentment
Research has shown that holding onto resentment is not good for your physical and emotional well-being. It also indicates that holding grudges raises blood pressure and heart rate, heart disease, and causes chronic agony.
Worse than that, clinging to bitterness and anger has been connected to anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, and shakier interpersonal relationships—romantic, parent-child, and professional.
Stress chemicals like cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine are released into your brain when you spend the whole day dwelling on your pain, anger, and resentment toward a certain individual. This is because your brain actually feels as though it is being attacked. Consequently, your limbic system remains active as a result of all these stress chemicals, which means the thinking and rational parts of your brain are turned off.
In Final Words
It’s common to experience resentment, anger, or bitterness in response to not being treated how you want or deserve. However, hanging onto these emotions too long might be detrimental to your physical and emotional well-being.
There are numerous potential causes of this complicated feeling. For instance, feelings of being mistreated, taken advantage of, or not being heard can lead to resentment. It’s commonly described as an outraged sensation. Regrettably, bitterness can give rise to other negative feelings and ideas. If you don’t control resentment, it can eventually ruin relationships.
You can mend broken relationships and get over grudges. Seek counseling if you’re still having problems. These days, you have the choice of working with a typical in-person therapist or one of the numerous providers of online therapy.
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