The ironic thing about hostility is that it normally doesn’t come from a stranger. It comes from someone you’re close to – a friend, a family member, a roommate, a coworker – which is why it can burn so badly. When this person decides to cut you with harsh words, purposely does something to get under your skin, or is just flat out rude to you, it is hard to not react in the same awful manner.

After the confrontation (or lack-there-of, in passive aggressive instances) you are left with a burning sensation in your chest and a pit in your stomach. You are so angry at this person for treating you horribly for no solid reason at all. You’re wondering, “What did I do to be treated this way?” and “How can I get back at them?” You imagine your next conversation with this person. You want to call them out, to bring up something personal and sensitive, to treat them the same way that they treated you. An eye for an eye, right? This is why it feels like half of the world is blind.

This person chose to act this way toward you. They decided to do something that they knew would hurt you, make you mad, or simply annoy the living crap out of you. However, what they did not think about in this moment is how this behavior is a reflection of their own self-pity, insecurity, or emotional turmoil, and it has absolutely nothing to do with you as a person.

When someone makes you feel inferior, talks down to you, or has no regard for your feelings, it is an opportunity for you to rise above the hate and negativity. The change can start with you. The way that you respond and react to this situation speaks volumes of your own character.

Just because someone else does not recognize your worth does not mean that you are any less of a person. How others treat you does not dictate how you should treat yourself or treat others. A strong person will reflect on a situation of hostility and realize that staying true to their own kind demeanor and taking the high road will ultimately feel much better than any kind of revenge ever will.

There is a great possibility that this person’s random bitterness and aggression is stemming from something deeper, something internal, something within themselves that they have not yet come to terms with. It is quite a shame. What a shame it is that these people are so mentally weak, that they need to prey on the feelings of others.

I truly sympathize with the culprits of this kind of hostility. It must be very lonely to feel so low, that they actually want to drag others right down with them. Although I am sometimes forced to deal with this kind of behavior, I will not stoop to that level of malice. I know who I am, and to be honest, I absolutely love the person that I have built myself to be – a person of kindness, generosity, and understanding. I am not perfect, and I work hard everyday to be the best person I can be. No bully (that’s what these people are - bullies) will ever take that away from me.

Being treated poorly is a chance for you to act in a way that you wish your bully had in the first place. React peacefully, with understanding and tact. Resist the urge for revenge or getting even. Reacting with kindness will not only be a step in the right direction for humanity as a whole, but it will definitely confuse, and probably even annoy, that oppressor (wink wink).