How do you overcome feelings of bitterness?

Answer 1

You have to talk yourself through the emotions you feel. Ask yourself:
why you are feeling the way you do?
Is the feeling reasonable?
Is the feeling justifiable?
Are you allowing the feelings to control you?

Focus on the positive things in your life rather than the events that make you feel bitter.

Answer 2

depends on what kind of bitterness. there is more than one kind. the worst, the most impossible to overcome is when a victim of severe abuse sees her or his torturer free and unavenged and aging happily. there is no help there except maybe faith.

the next kind of bitter feeling is from being betrayed or mistreated in love or friendship or even in business. in that case, i am sorry to say, the best way to overcome bitterness is to get angry. i am not talking about any sort of revenge - just cut the offender off completely, and let them know it! write them a well-drafted parting letter - and forget their name, get everything out of your house and life that reminds you of them. some people do it ritually - burn photographs, etc. the psych folks say that CONTAINED and CONTROLLED anger might be much more therapeutic to clear the bitter feelings than trying to be angelic and positive. so... sometimes anger is good.

Answer 3

This is so hard to do, but it can be done. First of all, you need to pray for the person or persons who wronged you. Tell them, if you can, that you forgive them for doing you wrong. It does not matter if they accept that or not. Give it to God. It's out of your hands. Read your Bible and pray a lot. Do this daily at a special time you set aside for this. Write everything down in a prayer book. Later, you can burn it if you don't want anyone else to read it. This has helped me so much. I used to be so bitter because my son was not following in the lifestyle that he was raised. It still matters to me, but I had to let it go. Now I do not have this rotten place in my heart, and I will live longer. So will you.

Answer 4

Perhaps that what Dalai Lhama does will help a bit. I also recommend you to read the book (It is pretty short) from Viktor Frankl. Mans search for meaning. Easily to purchase from Amazon. Not expensive too.
Here is how Dalai Lhama gets over bitterness.
I type you here a part of the book: The wisdom of Forgiveness
Intimate Conversations and Journeys
" So to be able to forgive your enemies can make a difference to one`s spiritual progress?" I asked the Dalai Lama.
"Yes, yes, there is no doubt," he replied. "It`s crucial. It`s one of the most important things. It can change ones life. To reduce hatred and other destructive emotions, you must develop the opposites-compassion and kindness. If you have strong compassion, strong respect for others, then forgiveness is much easier. Mainly for this reason: I do not want to harm another. Forgiveness allows you to be in touch with these positive emotions. This will help with spiritual development."
"Is there a special meditation technique that you use?" I asked.
"I use a meditation technique called giving and taking", the Dalai Lama explained. " I do a visualisation: I send my positive emotions like happiness and affection to others. Then another visualization. I visualize receiving their sufferings, their negative emotions. I do this every day. I pay special attention to the Chinese-especially those doing terrible things to the Tibetans. So, as I meditate, I breathe in all their poisons-hatred, fear, cruelty. Then I breathe out. And I let all the good things come out, things like compassion, forgiveness. I take inside my body all these bad things. Then I replace poisons with fresh air. Giving and taking. I take care not to blame-I don`t blame the Chinese and I don`t blame myself. This meditation is very effective, useful to reduce hatred, useful to cultivate forgiveness."

Answer 5

First by wanting to overcome them...and after that by finding out why you feel bitter...than work on the problem...resolve it...but if that doesn't work just find something else to focus on...

Answer 6

Beer...

or meditation on peace and harmony. You mind is like a radio. If you tune your radio to the country station don't expect hip hop. If you tune to feelings of anger, you'll get more anger. If you tune to feelings of peace and love, you'll get peace and love. If you're not getting peace and love then you aren't really tuned to it even if you think you are. Stay with peace and forgiveness even if it doesn't seem like it's working be patient and dilligent about thoughts of peace, love, and forgiveness. That means not dwelling on how poorly you've been treated. Think about how good it is to feel free of anger and be happy.

Answer 7

By realizing that the only person you are hurting is yourself. So you need to forgive. To forgive is NOT to condone. To forgive is to release the hurt. To relinquish the 'jail' we have put ourselves into, and to be FREE.

Answer 8

forgive them then forgive self they do not have to be present for them to be forgiven it sounds wierd but after you do it you may have a good cry but then you will be free and burn some sage then move on or it will tear you up inside

Answer 9

You have to learn to forgive. Once you forgive, all those feelings are replaced with love.

Answer 10

You keep on walking. After a while, those things that mattered will seem trivial.