Some time back, a person owed me money.
It was truly an angry period in my life as I got gaslighted, bullied and was lied to many times over by that person.
I never got the money back. There was so much bullshit coming out that person's mouth.
I had so many angry thoughts.
I was wondering what to do.
Should I have hired a debt collector?
Should I shame that person on social media?
Should I head over, bang on the door and yell for my money back?
I spoke to my lawyer friend about this. He told me what I could do legally, but also added that it probably wouldn't help.
I then shared with him how I heard stories from other friends who managed to get their money back by being more aggressive. One friend said he approached his debtor's parents to demand back his money.
I shared how I felt weak because I wasn't doing anything aggressive.
My lawyer friend replied, "Alden, this is not you.
You're kind, educated and civilized.
You're not a barbarian.
Let's stop talking about getting a debt collector or any kinds of ideas about revenge.
It is only $6000. It is not $60,000 or $600,000. Let us move on."
Right there and then, I felt instantly badly.
For once, someone was giving me the right advice, in which I had to suck it up, be the bigger person and move on.
No tales of bravado, aggression and greed.
It was just about being the bigger person and moving on.
Did I lose out? Sure.
But I didn't let it get to me.
Whoever is reading this, I hope that you have real friends who can advise you the same way.
We don't get what we want in life all the time and that's perfectly fine.