Are These Reactions Petty or Justified?

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Order in the court! We want to hear from you: are these examples of sweet revenge petty and over the top, or are they totally valid? Cast your votes, then stick around to see how your takes compare to other wikiHow users'!

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Questions Overview

1. "My friend was mooching off my Hulu account, so I just changed my password. Now he's locked out!" 😈
  1. Petty
  2. Justified
2. "My girlfriend forgot my birthday, so I signed her up for a bunch of spam email newsletters. She'll never have a moment of peace!" 😈
  1. Petty
  2. Justified
3. "I gave my wife a kidney. She later asked for a divorce, so I asked for my kidney back." 😈
  1. Petty
  2. Justified
4. "I noticed the school bully was cheating off me during a test, so I purposefully wrote down the wrong answers. We both failed, but it was worth it!" 😈
  1. Petty
  2. Justified
5. "Discovered my boyfriend was cheating, so I stole his expensive coin collection and used it to buy lottery tickets at 7-Eleven." 😈
  1. Petty
  2. Justified

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What to Do Instead of Seeking Revenge

Petty payback can be super tempting, but it's rarely "justified." wikiHow asked mental health experts and life coaches how to handle the desire for sweet, sweet revenge. Here's what they said:

  • When someone hurts you, focus on yourself instead. "Avoid the wish to get even," says counselor Catherine Boswell, PhD. "Remember, we cannot change someone else, only ourselves, our own responses and behaviors."[1]
  • Try not to attract bad karma. Life coach Jennifer McVey, Cht, cautions against seeking revenge because it could lead to bad karma. "We are bound by our own thoughts, by our own words, and by our own promises, not anybody else's."[2]
  • Channel your energy into self-improvement. "If you want to move forward, then the goal is to focus your energy on yourself, not the person who hurt you," says relationship coach Amy Chan. "Instead, you give that person more power, energy, and time."[3]


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References

  1. ↑ Catherine Boswell, PhD. Counselor. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Jennifer McVey, Cht. Life Coach. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Amy Chan. Relationship Coach. Expert Interview