12 deep questions to ask yourself when you feel contempt

  1. Were my feelings hurt by someone else's ignorance or indifference, or were my needs ignored?
  2. Did someone act superior to me in some way?
  3. Was I put down in front of others, or did someone make a derogatory remark about me?
  4. Was I criticized by someone else?
  5. Did I not get my way about something?
  6. Did something happen to make me feel small or less important?
  7. What happened to trigger the feeling of contempt?
  8. What is causing me to feel this way?
  9. Is there a legitimate reason for feeling this way?
  10. If there is a legitimate reason, what can I do to improve the situation?
  11. Does this feeling of contempt make me feel better or worse about myself?
  12. Am I feeling resentful or angry about something in my life?

10 tips on how to deal with contempt

  1. Write a letter to the person that you feel contempt for letting them know how you are feeling, but refrain from sending it out because this will only add to the negativity in the world.
  2. Remove yourself from the situation immediately.
  3. Making changes in your life that will show them how you are changing, taking responsibility for any hurt feelings or mistakes you made in the past.
  4. Make a list of your achievements and form affirmations about how you are worthy of respect in your life.
  5. Identify the specific behaviors that make them feel this way about you.
  6. Identify the person who is likely to oppose or feel contempt for you (your mom? your boss? your ex?).
  7. Having more compassion for them by thinking about what experiences in their life led them to feel that way or what kind of personality they have that makes them intolerant of diverse beliefs and opinions.
  8. Call a friend or family member and get support from them to take care of yourself during this difficult time.
  9. Breathe deeply and calmly in order to lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
  10. Accepting that they have a right to feel this way about you and still choose to move forward in your life despite feeling hurt by it.

How contempt affects you

Contempt is defined as a feeling that one has for an individual or act that is based on a lack of respect. People often feel contempt for someone who they think is beneath them for whatever reason. There are many reasons why a person might feel contempt, but the most common reasons are because of how they see themselves, how they see the other person, and how they believe society sees them.