Resentment, bitterness, inner anger --- how they get started
Resentment, bitterness, inner anger have a starting point. The
starting point is angry, bitter, resentful thoughts.
Resentment, bitterness, anger are built up through a mechanism,
through a process. The secret to not having them is to nip the
process in the bud just when it is starting --- don't let
yourself think those angry and bitter thoughts. At that point
you are in control --- you can choose not to think them and
stop yourself. If you just let the process go without stopping
it anger feeds upon anger, anger reinforces anger, imagination
comes in and goes to work, and a whole vicious process is
started that takes over your mind and changes your whole
personality at a basic level, it changes the basic "you". You
become a slave to it, a slave to a particular set of feelings,
attitudes, way of thinking. It becomes part of you. Habits
start as cobwebs and become cables. It is like a habit that
starts as a cobweb and becomes a cable.
What causes angry, bitter thoughts? A sense of injustice,
being wronged.
Phil said
Feb 7, 2005
I make a continual practice of self-love, whether I am up or down, sick or well, tired or well-rested.
There may be nothing harder than sticking to a policy of self-love regardless of the flux of my feelings. For when things are not going the way I want them to, when my expectations are not being fulfilled, I immediately begin the old pattern of shoveling myself into the garbage as if I am a useless failure.
If I stop and take note when I take out the shovel, I will be able to realize that as a child I had few resources to keep alive the sense of myself as lovable. But now I am free to develop all the resources I need. I have friends to call who will remind me I am loved. I can look at my face in the mirror and affirm my love for myself. I can hug myself or a teddy bear and console the child within me. I can slow down and become aware of my Higher Power as a force that I can trust to lead me and provide for me all that I need, even when I am unable to see the provisions.
pjb235 said
Feb 7, 2005
These are such awesome posts, Phil.... really, really what I needed to read now. God bless you, Pat B
I make a continual practice of self-love, whether I am up or down, sick or well, tired or well-rested.
There may be nothing harder than sticking to a policy of self-love regardless of the flux of my feelings. For when things are not going the way I want them to, when my expectations are not being fulfilled, I immediately begin the old pattern of shoveling myself into the garbage as if I am a useless failure.
If I stop and take note when I take out the shovel, I will be able to realize that as a child I had few resources to keep alive the sense of myself as lovable. But now I am free to develop all the resources I need. I have friends to call who will remind me I am loved. I can look at my face in the mirror and affirm my love for myself. I can hug myself or a teddy bear and console the child within me. I can slow down and become aware of my Higher Power as a force that I can trust to lead me and provide for me all that I need, even when I am unable to see the provisions.