BITTERNESS, VENGEANCE

If my current state is less than desired, I often focus on what’s wrong, feel bitter, angry, resentful or jealous, and look to assign blame. My response to feeling victimized is often to seek revenge and punish those responsible. (Note: Some report that, until they get justice or enact revenge, they feel as if they’re held captive by the need for it. Bringing religion into this, those worshiping a spiteful Old Testament God may opt for vengeance and
“an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
Some vengeance is shame or scape-goating related. This can span a wide range

  GRATITUDE, FORGIVENESS          If my current state is less than desired, I try to focus on what’s right, feel grateful that I am alive, hopeful that my plight will improve, and become determined to make it so. When I'm feeling victimized, I try to make peace with what happened. When appropriate, I offer forgiveness, unload emotional baggage, and perhaps even make some good flow from evil. Forgiving can trigger a cathartic feeling of moving out of captivity into freedom. (Note: Bringing religion into this, those worshiping a loving New Testament God “turn the other cheek” and are lenient / forgiving.)