Incidents of bullying no longer are limited to the school grounds. Thanks to social media, bullying now can happen in almost any setting and at any hour of the day.

Many individuals tend to turn to aggression or physical violence to fight back against bullies. However, it is possible to respond to bullying without fighting. It is vital to gain skills and an understanding of why bullying is occurring to overcome bullying.

The first step is to view the situation differently and stop engaging in the same thoughts and behaviors. Changing your overall outlook will result in the desired outcome. Often, the most challenging step is to understand why bullying is happening. Many individuals take bullying personally. However, bullying has nothing to do with your looks or personality, even though it comes across that way. It is vital to understand the bullying is not about you. Once you know this, feelings of being a victim will subside.

A typical response to bullying is to become upset or angry or to take steps to stop the bullying. Telling your parents or another authority figure, ignoring the bully, or telling him to quit may be in vain. The problem is that these actions tend to make the situation worse, and the bullying continues. You have reacted the way bully wanted, and this has added fuel to the fire. The bigger your reaction, the more the bullying continues.
The bully’s focus is on the attention he receives. He thrives on your reaction. When you get upset or angry, you are inadvertently rewarding the bully and encouraging his behavior.

Imagine that your interaction with a bully is a game. Outsmarting the bully by taking away his power is the key to winning. Change your attitude and the way you think about the situation and refuse to show any emotion. These actions will leave the bully with a feeling of loss and will diminish the thrill he experienced when bullying you.