Sarcasm, resentment, and revenge.
I have to keep an eye on myself as I get older—not let cynicism get the best of me.
If I’m honest, it’s easy to lose faith in people, in institutions, and just about anything that tries to tell me what to believe. How to behave. What’s acceptable. Etcetera.
But that path? It leads nowhere good.
As I’ve shared before, the word “cynic” goes way back to ancient Greece, named for a place called Kynosarge, or “The Gray Dog”—a gymnasium where skeptics gathered to question everything. A “cynic” was a “little dog,” suspicious of everyone, biting at the heels of life.
And here’s the thing: when we dodge the tough talks and avoid facing challenges head-on, cynicism starts creeping in.
The end result?
Resentment, frustration, and that heavy weight of powerlessness. If it festers long enough, it can take us down a road where everything looks bleak.
Believe me, I’ve been there. It’s isolating. Folks start avoiding you, sidestepping conversations, and slowly drifting away. It eats at the soul, makes it hard to stay close with anyone.
That brings me to a truth I want to share today: the world needs more people who are filled with hope.
And by “hope-filled,” I mean people who’ve got their feet planted in the here and now, who refuse to stop working to make themselves and their little corner of the world better every day.
People who aren’t afraid to break from the herd, who see the best in others and in themselves.
People who live with courage and conviction.
The kind of people Brennan Manning called “professional lovers.”
We’ve got enough sarcasm, bitterness, and grudges out there. Just turn on the news if you need proof. Our default is to latch onto the negative—17 times more likely to, in fact. I’ve read the studies, know the research. But that doesn’t mean we have to surrender to it.
We don’t have to stay stuck. We can move forward with the belief that tomorrow can be better than today, and that’s something worth holding onto.
It’s about letting go of the things that drag us down: sarcasm, resentment, and that urge for revenge.
Those are easy traps, but they’re empty.
Sarcasm literally means “to tear the flesh.” When we’re sarcastic, we’re ripping into others, slashing at truth, undercutting hope. Sure, you might get a laugh, but bit by bit, you lose something inside.
Resentment? It’s poison. It keeps us glued to the past, makes us feel like the world owes us something. But it doesn’t empower us. It just fuels bitterness.
And revenge? It’s the quickest route to emptiness. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Tit for tat—it’s a childish game that leaves us cold and alone, cutting us off from the present.
Instead, let’s trade sarcasm for silence, resentment for acceptance, and vengeance for love.
It’s no small task. But it starts with forgiveness. It always does.
There are only two forces in this world: love and fear.
Sarcasm, resentment, vengeance—they’re all fear in disguise.
But forgiveness?
That’s love. It’s about learning to let go, loving ourselves enough to free up space for that love to extend to others.
Here are a few steps that have helped me let go over the years:
Create some distance. Step back from the person, the problem, or the situation that’s dragging you down. It gives you the clarity to see what’s really happening.
Turn inward. When life’s overwhelming, it’s okay to focus on your own needs first. Give yourself permission to breathe.
Ride the emotional waves. Doubts, frustrations—they’ll come. Acknowledge them, but don’t let them steer the ship.
Find your people. Reach out to folks you trust. Letting go is something we can’t do in isolation.
Practice forgiveness. Name the pain, but don’t live there. Choose to live differently.
Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up for the missteps. Regret means “to cry for what’s dead.” Let the past rest.
And here’s one of my favorite quotes to end on:
“To let go does not mean to get rid of. To let go means to let be. When we let be with compassion, things come and go on their own.” – Jack Kornfield
Thanks for reading. Hope this landed where it needed to. You and me—we’re not so different. We’re human, fragile, alive. We’re capable of incredible good when we choose love over fear.
A little truth worth sharing.
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Steve Knox | KC
\\\ Thanks as always for reading. I’ll be back in your inbox next week with a little exercise for mapping out 2025. Until then. Be honest. Be you.