Better not Bitter

How are you Dear Soul? I hope that life is well and that you can smile at life even when it is hard going, and you feel life is against you. In these times I hope you can see that life is encouraging growth through a lesson and take the opportunity to make your life better not bitter.

None of us glide through life without hitting some speed bumps or potholes causing resentment and bitterness for our lot in life. Some of these lessons we experience can seem less than to others, but no-one really has the right to tell you what troubles you are nothing because it is something to you. Being something to you is what matters (do not let others tell you otherwise). What is important is what we do with our troubles. These challenges can help us grow, or we can rant and rave staying stuck in the bitterness of it all, and that choice is yours. I personally choose to do both. I rant and rave (do not get me wrong this portion can take a long time and I have been stuck here before) and then I get on with life. It is my life, and the quality of that life is left in my own hands (even when I do not want to acknowledge that personal truth).

In the midst of bitter or better, bitter sounds pretty good. Don’t you deserve to be seen as the martyr and victim for what has happened? Shouldn’t others understand? You feel the resentment for being placed in the situation that leaves you feeling like there is no choice but to exist and bitter with the choice that was not made by you (or so it feels). So exist, take the time to truly lean into your hurt, it is valid, and you need to know this before asking yourself to move on and it does not matter what others think or say only what you feel. Take one breath at a time and breathe until you can circle back and review your choices again. See if there was something in there for you to learn helping you move past the bitter into better. If you cannot do this the first time do not stress keep breathing and living until you can. Sometimes our hurts will take a lot of time before we can move on and at other times it is only a breath, and it passes.

Dear Soul when you are out and about today practice kindness. I know this can be hard, but you not only do this for the benefit of the other you also do it for your own soul. Showing compassion and kindness is what we personally want from others, and someone has to show the way forward so why not you. You are a ripple in this world. What you do really does count. What type of ripple do you want to be? For me Dear Soul I want to be a ripple of kindness and compassion. A ripple that creates hope of a better life. I want to be a ripple that creates better not bitter!

We have been gifted freewill and in life we need to see that we affect so much more than us. In a world where we are surrounded by greed and deceit and a world where we consciously look away from what we do not want to see (How do I know this? well I am human too and I have looked away in confusion myself not knowing what to do) choose to be kindness and create a better world. Be the ripple that starts to turn the tide towards a more humane life.

Dear Soul, everyone is important in this life, you are unique and there really is only one of you. Bring your skills and shine in this world. It is a hard request but do not let the world dull your sparkle into bitterness; become the compassion, forgiveness, and kindness that as a part of human kind of the world we all need. Be brave, be you and others will follow. We can feel stuck within shadows, and it is the ripple of light shown by others embracing kindness, acceptance, compassion and offering forgiveness that becomes a beacon in our darkness giving hope of a better life. Become the light that might be missing in your world and show the way forward to a better world one that understands we can move beyond bitterness.

Until next time. Shine bright Dear Soul.

Love and light.

Rebecca

PS

I know it is hard to put down a hurt that we have nursed in our hearts, we are full of justification but so is the next person. The viper you nurse within you is poison for the soul and stopping you from having your best life, it is pumping bitterness into you, creating an endless cycle of pain. It is hard, but it can be done, we need to release and let go of needing that pain in our life. It is hard to find new motivation, but it is worth the effort.

Sometimes we have to put down our histories to welcome in a new beginning and this is the hardest ask of all. We are not our past no matter how we identify with it, yes it has shaped us! There is a lot of wealth of knowledge and wisdom to be found in our historical self, but it does not need to become the only version of who we are. It is what we do with our life experiences that makes a difference in this world. Do we tell ourselves that there is no hope of changing, that life will always be this way, or do we take our pasts and make a better life? This choice is made on an individual level each and every day by each of us. We can take our pasts to create pain or hope of a better future. We are only who we are in the moment. Welcome the chance for change and welcome in the new dawn. This will take time and practice. Once again how do I know? It is a path I walk every day! My past will not define me or hold me prisoner, nor will my future be set in stone! I do my best (which is all any of us can do) to stay present and be the best me I can be. It is hard to remain open in life, but it is the best way to experience it.

I feel a quote from the serenity prayer sums it up. I have paraphrased the quote.

Give me serenity to accept what I cannot change.

Courage to change what I can.

Grant me the Wisdom to know the difference.