Did you just read that title correctly? Can there ever really be any benefits gained from being a victim?

And the answer is yes.

If we allow bad experiences to shape us in the right way, then yes, there are many benefits to be had from being a victim.

EVERYONE HAS BEEN A VICTIM

Everyone has had an occasion when they were treated badly in life. No one escapes. Even those who are known abusers, might have started off life as the abused. And yes, some seem to have suffered far worse than others.

Some might be a victim of their own success, where the wealth and power that comes with their achievements ultimately destroys them, and then some can be a victim of their own beliefs…

Someone can become a victim when they put too much faith in another (like a guru or leader), and allow them to shape or control their life.

But we can grow from these experiences.

PAST EXPERIENCES

In my last post, I discussed how childhood experiences shaped my beliefs; how they made me attract certain life experiences and people. Everything happens for a reason. We just don’t tend to see it at the time. And this can also be the case when we have been victimised.

Being Empaths, and therefore sensitive, often means we were victims of heightened emotional senses and overwhelm. Most of us have been victims of others’ ignorance, but we have also been victims of our own expectations.

THE BENEFITS

The benefits of being a victim are numerous. It most certainly teaches us a valuable lesson on how it feels to be mistreated, or we might even get a taste of ‘our own medicine.’

It is easy to look at others and point the finger. Noting all their shortcomings. But we don’t always see the error of our own ways. We might get so caught up in our own world that we don’t acknowledge the impact of our actions on others.

Now, when I say being a victim, I am referring to being a victim of other people’s bad behaviour or having bad life experiences. Those times when we were treated unfairly or betrayed. I am not talking about being an occupational victim.

OCCUPATIONAL VICTIMS

Everyone has come across occupational victims. Those who seem to enjoy playing the role of the ‘injured party.’ Occupational victims seem to relish in telling stories of how they have been mistreated. It’s as though they focus on finding reasons to be unhappy. They like having people feel sorry for them and don’t stop complaining about their lot in life.

I often think that being an occupational victim is akin to creating some kind of self-actualizing soap opera, where one makes unhappiness a point of entertainment or life purpose. But, as I often say, we are each here on our own journeys of evolvement. And if someone finds purpose in remaining in victimhood, then that is their call.

THE END OF VICTIMHOOD

Because being a victim allows us to experience what it feels like to be hurt, it can help us become more empathetic, more resilient and more empowered… That is if we allow ourselves to learn and grow from the experience.

Sometimes being a victim is exactly what we need for growth.

Difficult life experiences shape us. They take us on this strange path of evolvement. The real benefits kick-in, however, when we decide we no longer need to have those experiences in order to grow.

With this new age, it would seem that the times of feeling/being victimised is coming to an end for many (those of us who are ready to move on).

We are in times of great evolvement. A time to move away from the abusers and those who took advantage. That also includes those in authority and those who have abused their positions of influence.

People are finally waking up to the realization of their own power. We are now at the ‘helms of our own ships.’ We may have given our power away, but we are now discovering how to take it back.