There are endless reasons why we get upset with other people. The argument you had with your partner. The rude remark your neighbour made. The disrespectful attitude of the customer representative.
The variations are many, but the underlying formula is the same: someone did something and that evoked an unpleasant emotion in you: frustration, anger, disappointment, hurt.
You then go stewing and fuming about their behaviour and the injustice of it all. But on the most fundamental level, you’re not upset with the other person, you’re upset with yourself.
The argument with your partner may have provoked you to say something you don’t feel proud of. The rude comment of your neighbour may have left you doubting yourself. The disrespectful customer representative may have made you feel unworthy of respect.
It’s never other people that we really are upset with, it’s always ourselves. And therein lies the opportunity for growth and liberation.
People’s behaviour and actions mirror back to us fragments of ourselves. The upsetting situation points to aspects of yourself you’re doubting and judging. The opportunity is in understanding what they are and accepting them.
Self-acceptance is the bedrock of transformation and expansion. To grow, you need to free yourself of the limiting narratives you have about yourself. This allows you to embrace and express your authenticity and be true to yourself. When you are, you’re the most powerful expression of yourself.