From Victim to Victorious

Victim mentality or Victorious mentality?

Today’s culture seems to consistently say “it’s not your fault. The blame belongs to someone else.” When something happens to us, our response to it is based primarily on our history with the person or event. So we respond based on what we know and how we were taught. We have a small, but loud group of people in American culture that believe it is their duty to stand up for others who never asked for their help.

Let’s take the “Redskins” controversy, for example. The NFL team has been in existence for about 86 years and until about 2 years ago, no one, including the vast majority of American Indians, were bothered by the name. How about Anadarko, OK? The Redskins Theatre has been there since 1947 and the city has boasted of half Indian population and calls itself the “Indian capital of the nation.” So why isn’t the theater being talked about? It’s because, while we can’t deny the atrocities done to the Native American community in our nation’s past, they, as a group of people, have chosen to be victorious. Visit a few casinos to find out what I’m talking about. It’s worth noting that the name hasn’t offended the Native American community. The Washington Post conducted a poll of Native Americans across the entire country in 2004 about the name and found 9 out of 10 Indians say it’s just a name, nothing offensive about it. In 2016, another poll was conducted and yielded the exact same results. So sometimes, the idea that you are a victim is fabricated by people who don’t even understand it. But society in general says “Be offended!” You may say, “well, what happened to me really wasn’t my fault.” And to that I say, I’m sorry. Now what?

Your adversity CAN’T define you…but your response to it WILL!

If you have decided that you can’t accomplish something because you were wronged, you were a victim, then you have given 100% power over to that individual or group that wronged you. If you really want to get back at the person or people that wronged you, accomplish everything you set out to IN SPITE of their efforts to hold you back. Overcome!

When you’re the victim, everyone else is to blame for every problem, even if it’s your fault. It justifies irresponsibility and makes you co-dependent on others to repair your victimization. Living with a Victorious mentality is when you realize it’s possible that something is your fault, owning it and not needing anyone to get you out of the mess you find yourself in, regardless if it’s your fault or not. YOU (or God in you) can get you out. Now you’re victorious over your circumstance. The sooner we shift our minds (be transformed by the renewing of our minds) from victim to victorious- even (and especially) in the face of adversity, the better our quality of life becomes. This applies to every area of life. I’ve somewhat struggled with this in the past, myself. But not anymore. Get there…I dare you.

Stay Classy GP!