What makes one person become bitter over life's perceived hardships, while another person faces equally challenging hardships but shows no evidence of bitterness?
Several months ago I wrote a post titled "Happiness is a Choice." Today's topic is quite similar, but yet so different. Unhappiness and bitterness are often found hand in hand, fouling up the life of their host with their toxic presence.
Is there a difference in the genetic makeup of two opposite individuals? Have they learned different behaviors in their families of origin? Does one have a stronger faith base than the other? Is there any explainable, visible difference between them?
If only there was an answer! Then we could all be "non-bitter." Unfortunately, there is no obvious difference other than a simple difference in attitude.
One has chosen to be bitter, the other has chosen the opposite. Yes, you read that correctly! I said "chose." In allowing yourself to be bitter you have, in effect, chosen to not be the opposite. Life is full of choices, bitterness is one of them.
Likewise, in living a life of non-bitterness, you have chosen that bitterness is not something you would like in your life.
In my opinion, bitterness usually comes with an unhealthy dose of blaming others for all the ills in one's life. No sense of responsibility for one's life circumstances is found in these individuals.
In blaming others, you are essentially handing over power of your destiny and future. When your life is filled with blame and bitterness, you are abdicating any sense of control of your life.
On the opposite side of the equation, if you believe that you are responsible for your life and it's circumstances, you are in control of your life.
I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I'd rather have a sense of being in control of my life. That means no bitterness allowed, and no blaming others.
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