Responding in Kind: 7 Reasons to Do So with Bullies

Cherie White

4 hours ago

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‘Want to know why responding in kind is important for your mental health? Here are all the reasons you need to know that it’s okay to respond in kind when someone crosses the line with you.

Responding in kind helps keep you safe from bullying by inspiring respect. Therefore, in this post, you will learn why responding in kind is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Once you learn all about this life-changing fact, you will be compelled to treat yourself with respect by not allowing others to mistreat you.

This post is all about responding in kind and why it’s important, so that you can live a drama-free life.

Responding in Kind

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with responding in kind when someone tries to mistreat you. It shows that you command the dignity and respect that’s due to the next person.

Moreover, it shows that you won’t tolerate crap from bullies. It also sends the message that you have the guts to stand your ground when some creep violates your boundaries.

As a society, we’ve been conditioned by politicians, the media, educators, and certain members of our families. They’ve trained us that responding in kind only makes us as bad as our bullies and abusers.

And, sadly, we’re still being conditioned to believe that bull. We’re being told to “ignore” people’s atrocious behavior, and in some cases, even submit to it.

Power and force are the only things bullies and abusers understand.

However, I want you to understand that the only thing bullies understand is strength and power. People-pleasing does not work. And anyone who gives off even a hint of weakness is fair game.

Therefore, if you don’t respond in kind to bad behavior, bullies will take full advantage. Why? Because they will get the message that there are no consequences for their abuse.

And they will think they can walk all over you anytime they want. Then, there will be no stopping them from escalating the bullying, and no limit to how far they go.

Responding in Kind:

Bullies Pay Attention to consequences.

You must set boundaries. And you set boundaries by imposing consequences on anyone who violates them.

But how do you impose consequences? By responding in kind to bullies when they cross the line.

Notice I say “respond,” not “react.” By responding the right way, you show that you’re not afraid to stand your ground. Also, you signal that you command the same dignity and respect given to the next person.

Society subtly programs us to take abuse.

There’s no law that says that you must accept abuse from anyone. Yet we’re being subtly told to accept it.

And we should take it with a smile, and a yes, sir/ma’am, then ask for seconds. In today’s world, society tries to dictate that we should agree to abuse.

Um- no! That’s not how life works! And it isn’t how human nature works. Every action is followed by a response!

Bullies must realize that there are consequences if they harm another person. And we must understand that the threat of consequences keeps the bad guys away.

Without accountability, there would be anarchy! Bullies would have free rein over us all.

So, never be afraid to respond in kind. Moreover, never feel guilty for it. It’s normal, expected, and it’s how you defend yourself against predators. It’s also how you treat yourself well.

Here are all the reasons to respond in kind to bad people.

Responding in Kind:

1. You protect yourself from abuse.

Your protection is your responsibility. No one is coming to save you. Therefore, it is up to you to protect yourself from human predators. You can defend yourself from different kinds of abuse. Here are a couple of examples.

Exclusion.

Media and other talking heads preach against exclusion. However, people have been excluding others since the dawn of time. It’s a cruel part of human nature.

Moreover, most people try to force others to include them anytime they are excluded. This is the wrong thing to do. It’s counterproductive. Because the more you insert yourself, the more the group will push you out.

But really think about this for a minute. Do you really want anything to do with those who don’t want to be around you?

Instead of trying to force them to accept you, look at it another way. Those who exclude you are the trash that takes itself out.

Therefore, the best way to defend yourself from exclusion is to exclude them from your life as well. Two can play that game.

They don’t want to be around you? Then the feeling is mutual; you don’t want to be around them either. This is how you respond in kind.

Physical bullying.

You should never take physical abuse. No one has the right to put their hands on you. Therefore, it’s simple: they hit you first, and you hit them back.

Remember, bullies only respond to consequences. So, give them severe ones. Make them never want to make the mistake of hitting you again.

By doing these things, you protect yourself from abuse. Why? Because not only will the bullies leave you alone, but those who are around to see it will too.

Responding in Kind:

2. You preserve your self-esteem.

Nothing feels worse than having everyone walk over you and not having the guts to do anything about it. In fact, you feel weak and defeated. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

When you finally stand up to abuse, you will be amazed at how it boosts your self-esteem. The bullies may or may not change their behavior.

But you’ll feel better just knowing that you stopped taking their crap. Your confidence will soar! And people will think twice before messing with you again.

3. You encourage others to respect you and themselves.

When you stand up to bullies the right way, you earn respect. Moreover, not only will the bullies respect you, but the people watching will too.

But the best part is that you will learn to respect yourself. Why? Because once you stand up for yourself, you’re more likely to do it again until it becomes a habit.

And lastly, other victims just might follow your lead. They will begin defending themselves from bullies. Why? Because “if they can do it, I can too.”

Responding in Kind:

4. You keep drama out of your life.

There’s a reason that bullies only pick on certain people and not others. It’s because the others won’t take their crap, and they know it.

Therefore, when you respond in kind, especially in the early stages of bullying, you become harder to mess with. Bullies like easy targets. Don’t be one of them.

Bullies are all about drama. In fact, they thrive on it. Therefore, if you can keep them away, you avoid the drama that comes with them.

Then, you can live in peace.

5. You keep your dignity.

There’s no dignity in being a punching bag. In fact, if you let bullies bully you, everyone else will think they can do it too. It’s called the swarm effect.

When one bully messes with you, others will want to join in if you don’t put a stop to it. One bully will bully you, then two. The next thing you know, you’ll have four bullies on your tail. Then, eight, and so on.

And before you know it, everyone will want to get a piece of your ass. Bullying spreads like a virus. You would be surprised at how contagious it is.

Dignity comes with respect. Therefore, if no one respects you, there’s no dignity. So, stand up for yourself. Don’t take their shit. Whether or not you have dignity depends on how you teach people to treat you.

Responding in Kind:

6. You maintain control of your life.

When you’re being bullied, you don’t have control of your life; they do. Bullies get to control how you feel about yourself. Also, they can even control your physical well-being.

Don’t give them that kind of power over you. Instead, stand up to them. Let them know you won’t let them just walk all over you.

Know that you are not a dumping ground for others’ anger and other mental issues. Therefore, take back control of your life. Stand up to bullying. And have nothing to do with anyone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart.

7. You experience freedom.

When you don’t have to deal with bullies, you experience total freedom. You are free to be yourself. You’re free to live in peace. And you’re free from bullying and abuse.

Remember that bullying is all about control. And they can only control your life if you let them. Therefore, do what you must do to protect yourself from those leeches.

When you respond in kind, you take back your freedom. They may bully you worse for a time, but eventually, they’ll get tired if you keep standing up to them.

And once they do, you’ll have freedom to be yourself and live in peace.

In Conclusion

Responding in kind is a way to set and enforce your boundaries. It imposes consequences on creeps who step over the line. At the same time, it protects your self-esteem and keeps you safe from people who wish to abuse you.

You maintain control over your life because you teach people to respect your right to safety. In that, you keep your dignity, repel drama, and experience the freedom to live in peace and be happy. And you can do it without guilt or apology.