Resentment can be a very poisonous feeling that arrives as harmless but soon starts rotting our minds. It is an addictive state of mind that keeps you stuck in a deep well of negativity. And since we are talking about it, let’s accept the fact that people use resentment as a substitute to hide their anger, pain, vulnerability, or fear.
There are so many events in our lives that can push us down into a spiral of resentful feelings. Fret not because it can be reversed! Your habit of getting locked up in memories, assumptions, and every other thing that makes you resentful can be gotten rid of.
So, if you want to crack the negative barrier of resentment and tackle your unhealed pain, you’ve chosen the right page.
Table of Contents
List of 10 Helpful Letting Go of Resentment Exercises
Here are the 8 effective letting go of resentment exercises that will heal your wounded self and incorporate inner peace:
1. Write down the root cause of your anger and bitterness
Anger and resentment go hand in hand! So, if you can’t stop feeling hurt or offended due to something, or even if you have grudges that have lasted for years: take a deep breath and write it all down. Or else, talk to someone about it. The moment you do it, you’ll feel a great deal of weight being lifted off your chest.
We often don’t realize how much our loved ones who actually care about us can help in such situations. And even if you don’t have anybody, you can opt for therapy. Trust me on this! A piece of heavy baggage that you haven’t been able to throw away for a long time will get lifted off your shoulders.
2. Allow yourself to feel hurt
A lot of us have this notion pin-pointed in our heads that we HAVE to be strong. What it does is that it builds up this huge pile of pent-up resentful thoughts and feelings. And that’s not good! Nobody wants emotional baggage on their shoulders.
Bottled-up anger and bitterness can have terrible side-effects. If you overfill a container, then, naturally, after a while it will burst out open. So, please don’t lock up your thoughts, opinions, and most importantly, feelings.
Have a good session of crying, express your viewpoints when you feel like. Because it’s okay to do so and there are zero benefits from forcing yourself to stay strong ALL THE TIME! Rather, it piles up stress which can affect your body and mind in a really bad way.
3. Maintain a Journal
This is one of the best practices in this compilation of letting go of resentment exercises. Though a lot of people don’t take it seriously. Turns out, it does help a lot more than you think it can!
Journaling your daily life will help you track down your symptoms. You will be able to point out what went wrong and where it went wrong and control your triggers. It will help you prioritize your problems, get rid of your fears, and also, give you a clear idea about your concerns.
This is a way of standing up for yourself and protecting your conscience. It will allow you to have a kind of positive talk with your inner self and point out all your negative thoughts so you know what to avoid. Sooner than you realize, it will help improve your mood.
4. Put yourself in the Other Party’s Shoes
Take a moment and put your anger, ego, and other feelings aside. And think consciously about why the other person did what they did. Think about what brought them to such a point and what could be the possible reasons behind that. Soon you’ll start realizing the other person’s situation and empathize along. If you figure out that it was your fault, don’t hold back, be the first one to apologize.
5. Meditate Daily
Negative emotions like anger, resentment, and anxiety are all pent up feelings that stem out from basic emotions like feeling embarrassed, ashamed, or hurt. But, we forget that most of the time, it has nothing to do with us because someone else is hurting us or embarrassing us. So, you need to let go.
And the best way to relax is by meditating. It is highly recommended by doctors all around the world for people with excess anxiety, stress, anger, and resentment. Meditation can dramatically help you relax and diminish negative feelings via mindfulness. Moreover, it helps you harness a kind of protective ring of positivity surrounding you.
6. Exercise
Burning those carbs and working on your muscles is not just good for your body, it is equally beneficial for your mind! When your body works out, your mind gets the opportunity to release its pent up stress. So, how about going for a jog every day or warming up a little? Exercising will release endorphins in your mind that will soothe your anger and reduce your stress levels.
7. Positive Affirmations
Execute this step once you know the reason behind your resentment and are making conscious changes in your lifestyle and thought-process. This letting go of resentment exercise calls for your journal again.
You need to write down a set of affirmative messages for yourself to keep your mind grounded in that positive zone. Some examples could be telling yourself the reasons why you chose to let go of resentment, you are letting go for your own wellbeing, and so on. Write down that you have chosen forgiveness because that is healing and comforting.
8. DO NOT Hold Grudges!
When you hold a grudge against someone, the only person getting affected by it is you. It can harm both your physical and mental health. And the repercussions of such negative feelings could take you years to heal from.
9. Don’t Become the Channel of Resentment for Others
You’ll often come across people who have a magnetic pull and put you in a bad situation to purposely make you feel bad. They would intentionally manipulate you into falling into a deep well of resentment. DON’T ALLOW THAT!
You hold the reins of your feelings. And only you can resist the urge to give in to their negativity and gossip.
10. Future-Proofing Yourself
Getting rid of resentment exercises are not part of any one-time project, they are more like a healthy lifestyle. You need to become a person who doesn’t entertain resentment for too long. Jogging is one of the best habits to reduce stress. Remember to practice all of the aforementioned letting go of resentment exercises as long as you get habituated to them.
After all, a healthy mind is the key to a happy and productive life.
Bottom Line
These letting go of resentment exercises need to be practiced every day until the effects actually start showing up. Some other tips to help you in your healing journey are: Treating people you were resentful towards with kindness and engaging with positive people who love and support you.
And also, don’t forget to remind yourself of your mantras and commitment. Otherwise, all the letting go of resentment exercises that you are practicing will be in vain.
About Carson Derrow
