Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Don’t get mad and don’t get even. Just try to ignore

I think it’s normal that at some point in our life, we are bound to meet people who we can’t get along with. This could be due to several reasons like difference in opinions, clash in personality or had a bad history with the other person. Each of us also deals with these people differently. Some would fight back and some would just choose to ignore and continue with their lives. Of course our patience does have a limit and if the situation gets worse, we would want to stand our ground.

I am a patient person and would always choose to ignore. I don’t like confrontation and most definitely would want things to remain peaceful. The most I would do is bitch about it but I would not try to get even. However, I have to admit when things get out of hand, it does stress me out a bit.

I got caught into this situation some time ago and knowing me, when I worry, I tend to get overboard with it. A colleague advised me not to worry too much about people who have nothing better to do than make our life difficult. It’s a waste of time and energy. She recommended this book from Dale Carnegie: How to stop worrying and start living. I read a few chapters of it and now understand what she meant.

I’d like to share some interesting advice that Mr Carnegie mentioned in the book:

“When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness. Our enemies would dance with joy if only they knew how they were worrying us, lacerating us, and getting even with us! Our hate is not hurting them at all but our hate is turning our own days and nights into a hellish turmoil”.


To cultivate a mental attitude that will bring you peace and happiness, remember this rule:

“Let’s never try to get even with our enemies because if we do we will hurt ourselves far more than we hurt them. Let’s do as General Eisenhower does: let’s never waste a minute thinking about people we don’t like”

Ok, maybe ‘enemy’ is too harsh of a word. I’d rather put it as ‘people I can’t get along with’.

So friends, if there are these type of people in your life, just let them be. Think of it this way: the more we choose to ignore them, the more pissed off they’ll be. Teeheeheehee….





“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” -Eleanor Roosevelt-

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

the more we choose to ignore them, the more pissed off they’ll be.

So so true. I used to "terasa" and "melompat" when "people I can’t get along with" manage to piss me off. Nowadays i just ignore, in fact laugh abt their childish antics because that's what they are - immature beings

Pak Zawi said...

trueblue,
A friend of mine had similar problem as yours. When all else failed she asked my opinion on how to overcome her problem. I told her to grab the bull by the horn and just go right to her the next time she try to bully her again. She did just that and that was the end of her problem. Hehehe it doesnt work all the time though.
Usually such bullies are insecure people who are not able to prove their worthiness. I think the person in your story is of this kind.

Nour said...

another book to add to your list is "dont sweat the small stuff by richard carlson". Like you I tend to worry too much and I realised that it didnt do me any good...dont worry over stuff which are beyond our control.

trueblue said...

ssc,
You read my mind, girl!

Pak Zawi,
I totally agree with you. Bullies are definitely insecure people. Its probably some lame way to show others how 'terror' they I. Puh-lease...

trueblue said...

Nour,
Thanks for recommending the book. Will check it out.

akula,
Great minds think alike!

Da Winged Acrophobic said...

Good point. Personally, I try to 'love everybody to death'. Repay cruelty with kindness. Most of the time, anyway. There are still occasions and persons that I can only ignore, while stifling the urge to go ballistic.

Dade Ghost said...

Right on Sista! Agree with the book and you.....

Just to add, take action on what matters to u... and on matters that u can take action...

Cheers.

trueblue said...

da winged acrophobic,
We can only try :)

dade ghost,
Glad to know we agree on the same things..

UglyButAdorable said...

totally agree..i learned that loooong time ago...just ain't worth it...

now i just tell off and walk away..

J.T. said...

Hi Trueblue

Carnegie makes a lot of sense and sometimes we need reminders like that. It is true, we only hurt ourselves more when we dwell on the actions of people who rub us the wrong way.

Good post. Thanks. :)

winniethepooh said...

we cant control others, we can only control ourselves :) yup, the more we ignored them, the more THEY get angry, not us ;)

hv a great week ahead Trueblue!

Cosmic_GurL said...

But it's okay to hate those villains on tv right? Hehehehe..at least can channel all the anger there instead of at someone "real"...

katakbesar said...

will try to read the book
later in the near future..

earlier classic by Dale Carnegie
that i really like was;
How To Win Friends
and Influence People

anyhow..
your posting made me remembered
a piece someone forwarded to me
not so long ago..
here; http://katakbesar.blogspot.com/2007/05/same-but-different.html

Angel Eyes said...

I buat pekak jer babe. Malas nak layan coz bukannya dapat duit pun ok!

Let them be...