Victim To Victor

By Robert Silverstone

We all fall victim, from time to time, to events, issues and people that present themselves in all shapes and forms. We become victims of fear, anger, guilt, disappointment and many other feelings and reactions to events that occur in our lives.

We have little control over the events themselves, but we do have the power and ability to control our reactions, the behaviors we exhibit in response to those various events. In fact, either we control our reactions and have dominion over them, or we are controlled by those reactions and we become victim to them.

When we are victim to our reactions, we exhibit certain behaviors that tend to keep us stuck in that same victim consciousness. When we exhibit those behaviors we are cut off from our true power and unable to access the inherent prosperity consciousness with which we are born.

There are many ways we can become a victim. What follows are just some of the more obvious behaviors we exhibit when embroiled in victim consciousness?

7 PRIMARY VICTIM BEHAVIORS

BLAME — Whenever we point the finger of blame at another individual, group of people, event or even ourselves, we are exhibiting a victim behavior. We are failing to take responsibility for our part in the situation or outcome of the event and when we do not acknowledge our responsibility, we relinquish control over how we choose to view a situation or outcome. When we give up that choice, we become a victim.

JUDGMENT — By negatively labeling another individual, group of people, organization or event, even if we negatively label ourselves, we are passing judgment. We are disempowering ourselves by the “us” and “them” separation, and when we do that we are failing to see the unity of humankind. We separate ourselves from others by focusing on our differences when we need to be seeking the common threads that bind all of us together. When we judge ourselves we are committing even deeper victim behavior by creating separation between who we think we are and who we really are. When we pass judgment on anyone or anything, we are a victim.

CRITICISM — When we find fault with others or ourselves we are focusing our attention on the negative. A universal law states that whatever we focus our attention on will tend to expand. If we are focused on finding the negative in a person or situation, or especially in ourselves, those negatives will tend to expand and before long we find ourselves participating in victim consciousness, often without even being aware of it.

COMPLAINING — By failing to accept that a particular situation in which we might find ourselves is less than perfect, or we simply do not like the outcome of an event or the behavior of another, we find ourselves registering a complaint. As we can observe about negative behaviors in general, we are less equipped to see the good or positive in a person or situation if we are complaining. Consequently, whatever we complain about will tend, before long, to breed more complaints and, once again, we will find that we behave like a victim.

COMPARING — One of the most common of victim behaviors, and one that is not usually considered negative, is that of making comparisons. “She is thinner than me,” “he is better looking than me.” “This one is smarter than that one,” etc. Perhaps we compare ourselves with a sibling, a neighbor, a co-worker or even with someone on a magazine cover who we don’t even know. Making comparisons serves to diminish our own uniqueness and special gift to society and humankind. It is a behavior that becomes a habit and one that is high on the list of those of the victim.

MAKING EXCUSES — “I missed the appointment because the street was blocked with a stalled vehicle,” or “I missed the appointment, I apologize.” Which expression carries more acceptance of responsibility? Which is less about the story and more about the facts? When we make excuses we are giving up some of our own accountability and turning it over to a third party or event. A victim fails to take responsibility. As long as we continue to make excuses we are behaving like a victim.

GOSSIP — Some people, when they hear that participating in gossip is a victim behavior, become quite defensive, even indignant. How can talking about others, a favorite pastime for many, possibly be a victim behavior? Any time negative opinions are passed from one individual to another about a third party who is not present, that third party is being disrespected and a ripple of negative energy is being emitted into the universe. Somebody overhears the gossip and tells the next person. Before long the facts have been distorted for the story to become more entertaining, and soon there is a chain of victims basking in the entertainment they have created for themselves, at the expense of another or others. In fact, listening to gossip is participating and deemed a victim behavior even if it is not being spread by the listener. It serves to encourage the source of the gossip and fails to respect the individual about whom the gossip is being spread.

Seven primary victim behaviors, any of which will contribute in some degree to the consciousness of victim. Any or all of these behaviors are disrespectful of others or oneself. They fail to demonstrate responsible or accountable behaviors and serve to block access to the opposite consciousness that we all seek, that of prosperity consciousness.

How do we step into the world of prosperity consciousness and change our life with one breath? Simple! We discontinue all and any of the victim behaviors described above for the next 30 days. In so doing we create healthy habits that serve to take us into the magical, powerful and abundant world of responsibility, accountability and prosperity!

For more information about The GROW Principle, or the author, please visit www.inthemoment.net or contact Robert Silverstone at aime@thebusinessmuse.com 

A Metaphysical, Spiritual, Holistic Publication   |   In Light Times   |   Issue Index