As we interact with others who come in and out of our lives, we will meet many different kinds of people. Some will be nice and enhance our experiences, and others may be difficult. Everyone has their own expressions and ideas about life. We may agree with them at times and or we may be at odds. There is an old expression, “An eye for an eye,” which loosely means I will give you back what you give to me. It seems fair to return what we’ve been given and we may want to keep the score even by doing so. However, if someone does something mean or hateful to us, returning that to them may not serve us well. We may feel better hitting back, but all we will have accomplished is proving we can go as low as they did. Who we are is defined by what we do, not what is done to us. What seems fair may not always be the best choice. If we want to be the best we can be, we must be willing to reach higher when we’ve been hit below the belt. When we’ve been betrayed, scorned, cheated on, lied to, or in any other way demeaned, we can step back and decide what is in our best interest going forward. We need not continue relationships that don’t work. We can keep a high standard for our behavior and walk away from those who choose another road. We are always in control of our decisions and can choose the paths that take us where we want to go. We can be fair and still move forward with grace and dignity. We deserve the very best of everything. By choosing well, we will achieve it.
The fight or flight reflex can have a huge influence over us when we’re in situations that are threatening or aggressive. We may have an almost uncontrollable desire to run from whomever is involved, or we may feel anger rise in us and desire to smash our opponent. This is a survival mechanism that warns us of impending danger. However, most of the time we may not be in real danger, but threatened by a situation or person who is bullying and forceful. If we take a minute to think about how best to proceed instead of simply reacting, we will find greater success moving forward. We can take a deep breath, recognize the instinctive cues, and then calmly make a decision about how to proceed. We can be in control of our lives even when things go wrong and choose the best paths ahead.
Sometimes people get ahead and win despite poor decisions and bad behavior. It’s hard to watch someone succeed by cheating or bullying, and it goes against our ideas of fair play. When those who are dishonest or unethical win, we may feel burned and angry. But life has a way of looping around and in the end, there is no way to escape personal accountability. We can ensure our peace and happiness going forward by making the best choices each day and choosing the paths that will take us where we most want to go.
Today if someone has done something to hurt you and you want to get back at them, remember who you are and what you really want. Reach higher and choose the road that will take you to excellence. You are amazing and powerful, and nothing will stop you from succeeding. Make your best decisions and every road will open ahead.
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