So you’ve been hurt. You’re heartbroken. You’re in pain. What’s your first, initial instinct? Well, your thoughts are probably between killing their first born and binging on ice-cream and Grey’s Anatomy. If you’re anything like me, you’ve definitely felt the level of anger that could drive you to do absolutely anything and everything to make their life miserable.

This thought is extremely normal but extremely destructive. It’s human nature to retaliate to hurt with more hurt. It’s true when they say “Hurt People Hurt Others.” But, I’m here to tell you that you are not justified to retaliate. You are justified to be bigger than the norm.

First and foremost - skip it.

No matter what they did to you, what they said to you, or what happened to you, there is nothing that will justify you stooping to their level. Those who intentionally hurt others are not worth the time and effort required to physically react.

If someone did something so terrible to you that ended up in complete heartbreak, nothing you react with will fix it.

It won’t make you feel better.

I promise. Actually, it will do nothing but reopen any healing wounds. Healing is something we have to find within ourself. You’ve made progress. Keep going. Keep living your life. One day, it won’t even bother you anymore. If you act on your feelings, you will create more problems on top of the ones you’re working to overcome. You’ll create more heartbreak. It will extend the situation, and that is the last thing you need.

You Are Better than that.

…and you know it. Protect your reputation, and always hold your head higher than those around you. There’s a difference between fighting back at those that hurt you, and walking away holding yourself together.

IF YOU DO - forgive yourself.

"It’s like someone burning down your house, and then you throw an egg at their front door." Seems extreme, right? But, think about it. They broke your heart, so you want to post all their screenshots on twitter? They left you for someone else, so you think it’s a good idea to trash their house? They hurt you deep down, and all you can do is damage the surface. It doesn’t compare. You fell into your emotions and took revenge? My point is this - You acted out of emotion and not of character. Forgive yourself. Know your character, and move on from the action caused by intense emotion.

You can’t change the past, but you have every ability to change the future. You can’t help what others do to you, but you CAN help how you react to it.

You owe it to yourself to keep going. If someone hurts you, no matter the extent, they are not worth any more of your time. Move on. Be you. Build and protect your reputation while those around you are waiting for it to fall apart.