This post contains some of the best resentment quotes to help you let go and forgive.
Resentment Quotes
1. “A life lived mired in resentment is one that is lived primarily in the past and this is never one that is filled with joy.” – Taite Adams
2. “A long-simmering resentment against the world can burn off more calories than you might imagine.” – Paul Russell
3. “Anger will never disappear so long as thoughts of resentment are cherished in the mind. Anger will disappear just as soon as thoughts of resentment are forgotten.” – John Dryden
4. “Anger, resentment and jealousy doesn’t change the heart of others– it only changes yours.” ― Shannon Alder
5. “As smoking is to the lungs, so is resentment to the soul; even one puff is bad for you.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert
6. “At the heart of all anger, all grudges, and all resentment, you’ll always find a fear that hopes to stay anonymous.” ― Donald L. Hicks
7. “Beware of those who are bitter, for they will never allow you to enjoy your fruit.” ― Suzy Kassem
8. “Bitterness and resentment only hurt one person, and it’s not the person we’re resenting – it’s us.” – Alana Stewart
9. “Do we really want to be rid of our resentments, our anger, our fear? Many of us cling to our fears, doubts, self-loathing or hatred because there is a certain distorted security in familiar pain. It seems safer to embrace what we know than to let go of it for fear of the unknown.” ― Narcotics Anonymous
10. “Expectations are resentments waiting to happen.” – Anne Lamott
Related: Top 40 Rage And Anger Quotes
11. “For years I bore the crippling weight of anger, bitterness and resentment toward those who caused my suffering. Yet as I look back over a spiritual journey that has spanned more than three decades, I realize the same bombs that caused so much pain and suffering also brought me to a place of great healing. Those bombs led me to Jesus Christ.” – Phan Thi Kim Phuc
12. “Holding on to anger, resentment and hurt only gives you tense muscles, a headache and a sore jaw from clenching your teeth. Forgiveness gives you back the laughter and the lightness in your life.” – Joan Lunden
13. “I eventually came to understand that in harboring the anger, the bitterness and resentment towards those that had hurt me, I was giving the reins of control over to them. Forgiving was not about accepting their words and deeds. Forgiving was about letting go and moving on with my life. In doing so, I had finally set myself free.” ― Isabel Lopez
14. “I think resentment is when you take the poison and wait for the other person to die” ― M.T.
15. “Let today be the day you stop being haunted by the ghost of yesterday. Holding a grudge & harboring anger/resentment is poison to the soul. Get even with people…but not those who have hurt us, forget them, instead get even with those who have helped us.” ― Steve Maraboli
16. “Many people seem to be carrying their anger and resentment wherever they go like an overstuffed suitcase. It is baggage that weighs them down and demands considerable attention and energy.” – Dan Mager
17. “Never hold resentments for the person who tells you what you need to hear; count them among your truest, most caring, and valuable friends.” ― Mike Norton
Related: Top 21 Relationship Anger Quotes (+FREE Relationship Worksheets)
18. “Non-expectation, non-acceptance because the expectation leads to resentment and depression, so I have no expectations.” – Anthony Hopkins
19. “Nothing on earth consumes a man more quickly than the passion of resentment.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
20. “Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.” – Dale Carnegie
21. “Pride and resentment are not indigenous to the human heart; and perhaps it is due to the gardener’s innate love of the exotic that we take such pains to make them thrive.” ― Hope Mirrlees
22. “Resentment and bitterness build the cage that only punishes ourselves.” – Jeffrey Fry
23. “Resentment is a deadly virus that only infects the host.” – Debasish Mridha
24. “Resentment is an extremely bitter diet, I have no desire to make my own toxins.” – Neil Kinnock
25. “Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” – Saint Augustine
26. “Resentment is like setting yourself on fire and waiting for other people to die of smoke inhalation.” – Diane Cameron
27. “Resentment is nasty. What makes it so ugly is that it has a tendency to turn you, an otherwise kind and reasonable person, into someone who is so angry at their own life situation that it is nearly impossible to recover. Bitterness and resentment make it hard even for the people who love you to be around you.” – Martha Bodyfelt
28. “Resentment is often a woman’s inner signal that she has been ignoring an important God-given responsibility – that of making choices.” ― Brenda Waggoner
Related: Top 14 CBT Exercise For Anger Management (+FREE Anger Worksheets)
29. “Resentment is such an atrocious and sometimes all-consuming emotion. It is one that can literally take a life, usually that of the holder of the resentment.” – Robert Boich
30. “Resentment is weak and lowers your self-esteem.” – Barbara Sher
31. “Resentment or grudges do no harm to the person against whom you hold these feelings but every day and every night of your life, they are eating at you.” – Norman Vincent Peale
32. “Resentment, born of weakness, harms no one more than the weak person himself.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
33. “Something my mum taught me years and years ago, is life’s just too short to carry around a great bucket-load of anger and resentment and bitterness and hatreds and all that sort of stuff.” – Kevin Rudd
34. “The elimination diet: Remove anger, regret, resentment, guilt, blame, and worry. Then watch your health, and life, improve.” ― Charles F. Glassman
35. “The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.” – Elbert Hubbard
36. “The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?” – Jack Kornfield
37. “The resentment of a good man is the hardest thing to bear.” – Publilius Syrus
38. “The worst resentment that anybody can have is one you feel justified to keep.” – Louis Gossett, Jr.
39. “There is enough heartache and sorrow in this life without our adding to it through our own stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment.” – Dieter F. Uchdorf
40. “Time doesn’t heal all wounds, only distance can lessen the sting of them.” ― Shannon Alder
41. “What we don’t recognize is that holding onto resentment is like holding onto your breath. You’ll soon start to suffocate.” – Deepak Chopra
42. “Without forgiveness, life is governed by… an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.” – Roberto Assagioli
Related: Best 21 Forgiveness Journal Prompts (+FREE Worksheets PDF)
Letting Go Of Resentment Quotes
43. “Let go of resentment for it will hold you back. Do not worry about what could have been, what is to come is what matters.” – Leon Brown
44. “The superpower that I would choose would be compassion. Because that’s what I think it takes to make it through life and understanding, a give and take. It saves an awful lot of resentment.” – Craig T. Nelson
45. “Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly.” – Lawrence G. Lovasik
46. “The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” – Steve Maraboli
47. “No matter how frustrated, disappointed and discouraged we may feel in the face of our failures, it’s only temporary. And the faster you can stop wallowing in guilt, blame or resentment, the faster you can put it behind you.” – Fabrizio Moreira
48. “Resentment is a mental resistance to, a non-acceptance of, something which has already happened … an emotional rehashing, or re-fighting of some event in the past. You cannot win, because you are attempting to do the impossible–change the past.” – Maxwell Maltz
49. “Hope makes people good, a lot of the time. You hope for a brighter future, and resentment is outweighed.” – Daisy Ridley
50. “Letting go helps us to live in a more peaceful state of mind and helps restore our balance. It allows others to be responsible for themselves and for us to take our hands off situations that do not belong to us. This frees us from unnecessary stress.” – Melody Beattie
Related: Forgiving Someone Who Isn’t Sorry: 9-Step Guide To Free Yourself From The Past
How To Let Go Of Resentment And Forgive?
Letting go of resentment and forgiving someone can be a difficult process, but it is important for your own emotional well-being.
Here are some steps you can take to help you let go of resentment and forgive:
1. Acknowledge Your Feelings
It’s important to recognize and acknowledge the hurt and anger that you feel. Ignoring or repressing these emotions won’t help you move forward.
2. Practice Empathy
Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and see things from their perspective. This can help you understand why they acted the way they did and make it easier to forgive them.
3. Communicate With The Person
If possible, have an open and honest conversation with the person who hurt you. Let them know how their actions affected you and what you need to move forward.
4. Focus On The Present
Instead of dwelling on the past and what happened, focus on the present moment and how you can move forward. This can help you stay positive and motivated.
5. Practice Self-Care
Taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally can help you feel better and more resilient. Consider practicing mindfulness, meditating, or talking to a therapist.
Remember, forgiveness is a process and it may take time. Be patient, kind, and gentle with yourself as you work towards letting go of resentment and forgiving.
