Eileen Lichtenstein’s Balance and Power Blog

It is natural to feel resentment or anger when life does not unfold as expected. Perhaps expectations are not met, or relationships fail and we grieve for the loss.  Most of the time, we work through these feelings and they pass.

Anger and resentment must fade or will be transformed into bitterness. Bitter feelings allow us to become perfect victims in that we no longer feel obliged to work toward healing and choose instead to identify with our pain. When we acknowledge that it is okay to feel bitter, we reconnect with our hurt in a constructive way and can begin the process of working through it.

Being bitter is, in essence,  cutting ourselves off from all that is positive, hardening our hearts and vowing never to let go of our hurt. When we decide that we no longer want to be bitter,  the veil it cast over our lives is lifted, letting light and warmth touch our souls.
Letting go of bitter feelings can be as simple as truly forgiving and moving on. Even when your bitterness has no concrete object, you can forgive situations.  Healing pain can be challenging but may be easier if you remind yourself that you are the only one truly affected by your emotional state.  Letting go of bitterness frees you to initiate the healing process and allows you to once again celebrate the possibility of the more wonderful life you deserve.