Your Pain May Be Causing You A Chain Reaction
Editor: Anita Newkirk Hackney
Difficult times and life have a tendency to cause people to lash out at others who are in no way connected to the situation. At times, the pain and hurt inside someone can be like claws. When dealing with such situations, some people seek to release their pent-up emotions in unhealthy ways. Specifically, releasing it on others, which then has the potential to cause a chain reaction. Similar to wildfires, anger and hurt can be contagious in a sphere, spread and cause great destruction as well.
Start Checking Yourself
As a society, the state of reflecting on our attitudes and behaviors need to start being ‘normalized’. Do you think you are effectively handling your emotions? Who are you transferring this weakening energy onto…? Family, friends, strangers?
Lashing out at others should not become commonplace, as it only leads to the degradation of a society. There must be an active aim to effectively deal with emotions in a healthy and fulfilling manner. Misery shouldn’t love company, as that only spoils the bunch.
In speaking about suffering, Thich Nhat Hahn remarked, “When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.”
Unsurprisingly, this is the state some people can become centered in when they are hurting. They have a weird need to see other people hurt as well.
Social media has also caused people to feed on such energies, spewing out hateful words without thinking of the consequences. The loop social media can have on individuals is seriously depressing – a state of spewing hurtful words on people with no thought of how it will impact them and then joining the fight against mental illness stigma.
Are you in such a loop, intentionally hurting others and then joining a fight to protect them? It sounds crazy, but this is honestly the state a lot of people are in. Not being a party to viewing one’s suffering tends to have people thinking others are immune to their hateful comments. Some individuals, although aware, just don’t care.
It is continually stated we must treat each other with kindness, for we are not aware of the battles someone may be fighting. The thing is you don’t need a reason to treat people with respect and compassion. Being aware of one’s struggle shouldn’t be the cause for someone to treat them in a good manner.
Release for You
A meaningful quote from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks goes, “Harboring a grudge or resentment is a terrible weight to carry around with you. And you have to travel light in this world. We have too few energies to waste them”.
In simple terms, start releasing those emotions instead of burdening yourself with them. It will be hard; and for many, it will take time as situations are not one dimensional and can span the whole spectrum. The goal is to make yourself better and not a matter of pardoning another. The focus is on YOU. Release in a healthy manner and lighten your energy.
We are all aware of how someone can ruin one’s day with their words and actions. The domino effect tends to show its ugly face throughout the day as such emotions can trickle down to others intentionally or unintentionally. Be mindful when it comes to your interactions and don’t end up being ‘that person’.
