Why Holding On To Anger Turns Into Bitterness & How To Release Negative Emotions, By Zodiac Signs
Stop holding onto the negative and start letting in the positive.
Unsplash Bitterness comes from emotional pain. What evolves into bitterness does not always start out as bitterness.
Usually, when you are feeling bitter, it is because you are also angry, upset, or hurt.
What makes those feelings evolve into something worse (AKA bitterness) is holding onto them instead of letting them go.
Holding onto negative feelings turns anger and hurt into resentment and bitterness.
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Rather than being able to move on and live in the present, you find yourself holding onto the past and thinking about what your future would be like if you had done things differently. That doesn’t sound like any way to live, does it? Of course, not!
It sounds cheesy, but I’m going to say it anyway. Life is way too short to live with resentment and regrets.
There will always be something you wish you had done or said differently, but it’s more important to learn from those mistakes and move on instead of getting hung up on what could have been. The same can be said for bitterness.
Do you want to live your life knowing that things didn’t turn out your way, or would you rather live knowing that you did all you could and are excited to do better tomorrow?
Dealing with bitterness doesn’t just stop at bitterness, either. More often than not, it mutates into mental and emotional pain, vengeance, revenge, and criticism.
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So, how do you avoid all of those negative emotions? To start, don’t let your anger and hurt turn into bitterness. That sounds like it’s easier said than done, but it takes practice.
When you’re feeling angry or upset, the first step is to acknowledge your feelings and try to handle them as they come, rather than stuffing them down inside you.
Learning how to feel what you’re feeling and then let go is a gift, but it’s a gift we can all practice. When you stop living in the past and the future, you give yourself more time to enjoy the present.
If you’re dealing with bitterness now, letting go and moving on might not work for you. What you can do is look to astrology for some answers – the stars are always willing to help you out, you know. It may take time, but you can get rid of these feelings of resentment and bitterness for good.
Here is how to let go of bitterness, based on your zodiac sign.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
The best way for you to let go of bitterness, Aries, is to put your energy into more meaningful emotions. Even if you like to think of yourself as someone who doesn’t get hung up on negative emotions, bitterness has a way of eating us ALL up from the inside out.
You may not think that you’re still bitter after all this time, but one little thing can trigger you.
As a fire sign, you are very familiar with big emotions like anger, passion, and the like. The only way to keep you sane and stop you thinking about all the other dark emotions that bitterness brings out in you is to find creative outlets to express yourself.
Even if you’re thinking about what’s making you bitter, hitting a punching bag or stabbing some cloth with a needle definitely helps.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
One of the things you hate the most is not being treated fairly, Taurus. You like to think that you are one of the fairest zodiac signs of them all, so you can get very bitter when things don’t go your way. Hey, you went out of your way to be fair to everyone else, how come they aren’t doing the same for you?!
Unfortunately, the world doesn’t turn according to Taurus, so it’s better to focus on more important things than get caught up in your bitterness. You of all zodiac signs know what's worth the investment of time and energy and what isn’t.
Let go of bitterness by investing more of your time and energy into the people and things you actually care about – like your S.O., family, and friends.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
You’re not a pro at communication for nothing, Gemini. The best way for you to let go of bitterness is to talk it out. Even when it’s hard, even when it makes you cranky or whiny, and even when people act like it’s not up to them to listen to you, TALK ABOUT IT. You have every right to have your voice heard.
One of the things that people instill in us at an early age is to keep our true feelings to ourselves when it makes others uncomfortable. But you aren’t living your life for anyone but yourself.
So, when you’re feeling bitter and hung up about someone or something, let your voice be heard. It might not be what everyone else wants to hear but screw that. Talking it out will make you feel so much better.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
Negative emotions like bitterness can make you really moody, Cancer, especially when it’s all you can think about. I know, I know. It’s hard to let go of bitterness when it’s all you can focus on, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
The best way to let go of bitterness and resentment is to forgive the other person. We all make mistakes, and even when we know we can’t control other people (even though we’d like to), learning to let go of control and forgive someone for their mistakes helps.
You know that no one is perfect, and when you forgive someone for how they made you feel, it’s like a clean slate on both of your conscience. Plus, you’ll feel good by being the bigger person.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
You never want to be forgotten or set aside, Leo, but you’re also about moving forward in life. One thing that will always hold you back from success and greatness is bitterness. How can you expect to be the best you can be if you’re too focused on the past?
Whenever you feel stuck or lost in life, you like to take a second to ask yourself if what you’re focusing on is worth it still. Next time you’re feeling hung up on bitterness, try the same tactic.
Re-evaluate what you’re feeling and ask yourself if the energy and time you’re putting into these feelings are still worth it all. If it is, figure out how to express yourself better. If it’s not, let go and move on.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
One of the hardest things that follow coming to terms with bitterness is learning how to forgive yourself, Virgo. You can spend all of your time forgiving others and learning how to move on from how they make you feel, but you still might be feeling some resentment within yourself.
You can be one of the most (if not THE most) critical zodiac sign, Virgo. You might think having such a critical outlook of yourself is helping you become a better person, but all it does is instill a lasting feeling of bitterness within you.
Learning how to show yourself compassion is a great way to release the bitterness that you’re holding onto.
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LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
You are always striving to keep the peace in life, Libra. In fact, you will go to great lengths just to make sure that everyone in your life is happy, even if it means sacrificing your own happiness.
Not being able to put yourself first can harbor bitterness when you realize that everyone except you is living their best life. When it’s hard to change your mindset during these times, what can help is having a support system to build you up when you need it.
When you’re feeling especially bitter, turn to your support system for help and a push toward a better mindset.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
As a Scorpio, you can be very intense and deep. When it comes to all emotions – not just bitterness – you feel them with your whole being. That’s why, when it comes to letting go of the negative emotions you feel, it can be harder for you to move on than other zodiac signs.
The best way for you to let go of bitterness is to find a non-judgmental zone and face your fears. What’s the real reason you don't want to let go of this bitterness you’re feeling?
Is there something besides bitterness that’s making it hard for you to move on? It’s not always easy to own up to our fears, but when it comes to your happiness, it’s better to get through the scary part and move on that get hung up on the past.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
I hate to drag you like this, Sagittarius, but it needs to be said. While you can be an incredibly honest person when it comes to your friends and family, you’re not always the most honest when it comes to yourself.
The reason you can’t get past bitterness is because you like to blame what you’re feeling on others, not yourself. In order to let go of bitterness, you need to take at least SOME of the responsibility of the emotion.
Don’t let yourself flake out on yourself of all people. Be honest with where you ended up that led to all of this bitterness. Was there something else you could have done? What can you do now to move on? You can do it; I know you can.
RELATED: 10 Reasons Why Men Are So Much More Bitter Than Women
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
Bitterness is a powerful emotion and can suck you in before you know what’s going on, Capricorn. You might be telling yourself that you’re over it all, but when you find yourself obsessing over what made you so bitter in the first place, you’re going to realize that it’s not so easy to shake it off.
The best way to let go of bitterness is to set daily goals for you to achieve to move away from the negativity. When we get caught up in bitterness, it can be easy for all of our goals to either feed that bitterness or actively try to push away from it.
But either way, we’re still focusing on being bitter. Instead, try to focus on what’s most important to you and work toward those goals every single day. Soon, you’ll completely detach yourself from that negative emotion.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Getting caught up in negative emotions like bitterness can really narrow our perspective in life, Aquarius. We might not even realize it’s happening until we’re in too deep, but if you’re not careful, bitterness can end up ruling your entire life.
As someone who is always looking for new experiences in life and interested in innovation, your best bet for letting go of bitterness is to see it from a new perspective.
Right now, your mindset might be completely revolving around the bitterness you’re feeling, but if you take that away and try to look at your life from a different emotion or focus, what will you find?
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
One of the biggest feelings that come with bitterness is regret, Pisces. When we get caught up in the feeling of bitterness, we often find ourselves regretting our past and wondering what our future would look like if we had done something differently to avoid the bitterness we feel.
As someone who spends a lot of their time in a fantasy world where the past and the future is bright, Pisces, it can be hard for you to see things differently, but you can at least try.
Try living in the present where there’s no regret or judgment. When you stay centered, you stop yourself from thinking about things that have already happened or have yet to happen. Living in the now will erase all negative emotions that come with holding onto the past, like bitterness and regret.
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Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment and feminism, and knows that anything is possible in the right pair of shoes.