Never Be Bitter

One of the best cricketing shows on YouTube currently is Dressing Room, hosted by Fawad Alam and joined by Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Ajay Jadeja and Nikhil Chopra. For a show hosted by Pakistanis, it is very popular in India. Part of the reason is excellent cricket analysis. Still, more importantly, why the show works because it stays away from bitterness, pettiness, blame games, setting the record straight and, in general, washing the dirty laundry in public. The show does not shy away from criticism, but it never crosses the boundary of being personal. The cricketers, who are legends themselves, are gracious.

Compare this to many Pakistani cricketers who now have their own YouTube channels and use them to air out how they were wronged and how the “truth” about the people who wronged them should come out. It creates excellent sensationalism. It also makes headlines. In the short term, they remain in the limelight and see that other people finally value their opinion. They feel that they are surrounded by people all the time. But over time, they realise that when sensationalism ends, the people start leaving them one by one, and they are again all alone, this time even more bitter because even after hearing their side of the story, people abandoned them.

The truth is that people have a low opinion of others who are bitter and air their dirty laundry in public. They do not respect such people. They come to bitter people only to hear gossip. Once they get their fill, they leave. They leave because hearing about the misery of others makes them feel good about themselves. They do not care for the bitter people and actively avoid them because they do not want to be around the negative energy which bitter people radiate.

Hence, never be bitter, never air dirty laundry in public, and never gossip. When asked about people, even those who wronged you, give an answer that is not negative. Understand your perspective. Keep a smile. That does not mean you forget. It means do not air your grievances in public. Write them down, meditate over them, understand why something happened, and think what you could have done differently.

Radiate positive energy and the world will be attracted to you like honey to the bee.