Who Really Pays when You Hold a Grudge

Picture this with me. It's New Year's Eve and you decide to attend the local New Year's Eve party. You are looking forward to dancing the old year out and welcoming the new year in while having fun.

You are dressed good enough to have stepped out of a fashion magazine. That was one of your resolutions for the new year - to always look good, feel good and do good. Tonight you will re invite yourself. The new you in the new year will be someone who succeeds and is happy.

You climb the stairs to the dance floor, big smile on your face. You can hardly wait to see old friends, meet new ones and eat some good food.

As soon as you top the stairs, your smile fades. Your knees weaken. Your head swims a little, and your chest tightens. You stop in your tracks at the sight of them on the dance floor. People who've hurt you. They're all there, dancing and laughing and enjoying the night.

Each person on the floor is dressed in party clothes, but all you can see is the word GRUDGE written all over their bodies. You resent that they are here. You resent that they are having fun.

They look at you, smile, wave and go back to dancing. In their world, everything is cool. But for the last year you've given most of your energy to wanting to make them pay. Not only are they not paying for what they did to you, they're not paying you any attention.

This makes you sulk even more. You walk to a table and sit down. For a minute you watch them, wondering how they can be so happy after what they've done to you. You are just waiting, hoping that at least one of them would look your way so you can give them the evil eye or stick your nose in the air.

You've lost your will to celebrate. You don't have an appetite anymore. When the lights go up and everyone shouts "Happy New Year!" you enter the New Year wearing the same ball and chain you wore before, because grudges are like that. Grudges are cruel slave masters that demand most of your strength, energy and creativity. Because you have to be creative to get back at people.

What you don't realize is you don't hold grudges. They hold you. Grudges sap the pleasure of life out of you. Grudges seep toxins into your body, mind and soul. Grudges bring you heart problems and stomach problems and emotional problems. Grudges control your life, your outlook, your thoughts and your actions. Grudges make lousy friends.

Now ask yourself. What is the best way to get even with those who've hurt you than to forgive them and take away the power you've given them to ruin your life? I know it sounds crazy. But think about it. You want them to hurt; but the only one who's really hurting. . .is you. Let it go!