Sometimes life can be downright nasty. People can wrong you, betray your trust, defy you, and put you in a situation where you are victimized. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. Have you wondered what happens if you refuse to play the role of a victim and take back control in your life?
Let’s first define what a victim is. A victim is someone who has been harmed, injured, or killed as a result of an accident, crime, or other event. Being victimized can come in all shapes and forms. You could have your trust betrayed by someone near and dear to you, you could be a victim of a horrible crime, you could be a victim of your own mindset. You can be victimized by friends, family members, strangers, your country, or even yourself. But you can do something about it, and it starts with you.
“When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation or accept it. All else is madness.” — Eckhart Tolle
Oftentimes when we are victimized, we feel overwhelmed or even alone and struggle with coping appropriately. But after some time, playing the role of the victim is detrimental to our health. However, there are plenty of things you can do when you choose to reclaim your life.
Leave the situation
Ask yourself this question: can I leave or remove myself from the situation?
For example, if you’re in a relationship and your trust has been betrayed for whatever reason, can you leave the situation — can you put yourself out of harm’s way?
Oftentimes, the environment we surround ourselves with will harbor the role of being a victim. It’s time to change that. You could go stay with a friend, family member, or get a hotel. Either way, refusing to leave a situation that only affords you the role of being a victim is not healthy.
Change the situation
Instead of waiting for a situation or a person to change, why not see what you can do? More often than not, you cannot force a person to change, but you can greatly influence change. You can act as a catalyst for that change.
For example, if you live with a family member or significant other who has a substance abuse problem and tends to be really mean to you when they’re under the influence, what can you do? You can start changing the situation by setting boundaries. You can take your power back by letting a particular person know what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
You cannot change others, it’s up to them, but you can greatly influence their behaviors by changing how you interact with them.
Accept the situation and change your mindset
Accepting the situation and then changing your mindset should be applied to almost any situation where you have been victimized. Trust me, this is a hard thing to do, but you can do it. Accept that a tragic wrong has been done, accept it, put it in the past, and live in the here and now. It may take time, but the greatest gift you have is the present.
Changing your mindset when you have been victimized means you will no longer assume the role of a victim. You will reclaim your power and voice — they are yours and should have never been taken. Regardless of how you were victimized, changing your mindset to know that you have complete power over your thoughts, actions, and reactions will change your life.
What happens when you take your life back
You know what will happen when you decide to stop playing the victim and take your life back? A lifetime full of possibilities. You will have your personal power back. Your creative spark will glow to help solve problems where most other people wouldn’t know where to start.
By taking back your power and no longer playing the victim, you will grant yourself permission to have more freedom, as you will no longer depend on others. You will become the master of your own life. You set the pace and decide what road to take.
Yes, it will be hard — I’m not suggesting it will be easy. With perseverance and dedication, your hard work will pay off. In turn, you will have crafted a more relaxed life built on your own power.
No one wishes to be victimized, but it happens. By changing your role from victim to personal hero, you can begin to reclaim your power and become the hero in your own story.
