Harbor No Resentment

It is inevitable that we have one of those days where we wish we had never gotten out of bed.  Everything seems to go wrong, everyone around us either seems to be upset about something or is treating us poorly, and a storm of emotions threatens to overwhelm us.

One day I was having dinner with a business associate and we were talking about living a long, fulfilling, productive life.  He told me that the secret was to “harbor no resentment.”  This advice sparked many thoughts. We all have good and bad in our lives; the key is to remember to keep everything in balance and not let one bad day overwhelm all the good days.  Even in the bad, there are learning opportunities.  In harboring no resentment, it is possible to muster a smile or say a kind word that quenches someone’s anger.  In harboring no resentment, it is possible to handle poor treatment in a constructive and assertive fashion.

Harbor no resentment and a bad day will quickly pass.  In letting it go, positive things will come in its wake.


Photo: Acadia National Park