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AIBU

AIBU to feel enraged after all these years?

(31 Posts)
Eric4 Sun 18-Oct-26 09:00:49

This is my first time posting on gransnet.
I have just found out that a woman I was a student with, nearly 50 years ago is now a well-being and life coach. She seems to have done well and has great reviews.
The thing that enrages me is that she was a nasty bully. I almost quit over her behaviour as did others. She wasn't alone, she had followers, who incidentally were lovely once she finished and disappeared.
I didn't quit as I overcame her nastiness towards me with support from family and friends.
Am I being silly? In my head I want to expose her, but I'm just not that sort of person. Those who have given her great reviews have no idea how vile she was!!

Plevey08 Mon 19-Oct-26 19:31:52

Just to get it off your chest you could email her, saying hey do you remember me? Say how pleased you are to see her business in the well-being and life coaching sector is.
And then ask her how she has managed to turn her life around, to positively help others, in need of support with perhaps challenging past behaviours. Add a smiley. You don't even need a response. Just saying.

JudyBloom Mon 19-Oct-26 19:13:22

I don't think you are being silly at all, but for your own sake, please put this woman out of your mind and let go, as others have said and keep peace with yourself, I wish you all the best.

Rocketstop2 Mon 19-Oct-26 18:59:00

Fallingstar

I understand your anger and frustration. Bullies never understand how far reaching their bullying can be and how they are remembered over the years.
But this woman means nothing to you now, don’t let her have any further hold over you by experiencing this anger, you have to let it go and move on, or she is once again controlling how you feel.
Wishing you well with this 💐

Great reply.I guess you don't know what has happened in this person's life since you knew her.She may already have got her come uppance in ways you don't know about.Believe in Karma, I do .

valdali Mon 19-Oct-26 15:30:52

If OP hasn't thought of her for decades, maybe counselling is a bit OTT??

DaisyAnneReturns Mon 19-Oct-26 15:16:45

Counselling?

AuntieE Mon 19-Oct-26 15:08:40

Eric you are only hurting yourself by holding onto your resentment, however justified it once was.

To my mind it would be silly to try to convince anyone that this woman had once been a bully. You might not be believed, and would very likely be seen as petty or envious, and if you publish anything very detrimental, you might find yourself in legal difficulties.

Norah Mon 19-Oct-26 14:18:26

🎵 🎶 🎵 Let it go 🎶 🎶

Mojack26 Mon 19-Oct-26 14:14:18

Let it go. It was 50 years ago. You are just wanting payback which in my eyes makes you as bad as her! Be the bigger person....

polnan Mon 19-Oct-26 14:03:08

changed as long as it is for the better!!

polnan Mon 19-Oct-26 14:02:47

As you said,, how vile she was!! pleased that she changed, one can but hope, she wouldn`t be doing so well if she hadn`t changed... haven`t well all changed? I know I have

LucyLocket55 Sun 18-Oct-26 14:38:49

I know how you feel. I was at an all girls boarding school and in the 6th form a new girl joined the boarding house and my form and she made my life a miserable hell during the day and in the boarding house too. She has gone on to be a headteacher of a school for children who have been excluded from mainstream schools, and it seems as if she is highly thought of.

Her name was used in my family to describe a bully.

SpinDriftCoastal Sun 18-Oct-26 13:33:01

Your best bet is to be grateful you are not being coached by her now and that your last contact was 50 years ago. Then, step out into the freedom of the fresh air and go and treat yourself to something nice and then smile to yourself.

butterandjam Sun 18-Oct-26 13:27:07

Perhaps she too had some past trauma in childhood which she found a way to recover from; became a very different person, and has spent her adult life helping others by sharing what she learned the hard way.

valdali Sun 18-Oct-26 12:14:44

Maybe she's changed - it's a long time.

It's horrible when someone like that gathers a clique & bullies you - I've been there, & not that long ago. You know if it wasn't you, it would be someone else, & you know her "followers" are only going along with it because they don't want to be on the receiving end themselves, but it's vile behaviour.

Maybe the training satisfies her need to be "queen bee" & she doesn't have to bully any more. Agree with everyone else - let it go, but I would be enraged too.angry

Eric4 Sun 18-Oct-26 11:26:53

Thank you, each and everyone for your thoughts and advice. I had pretty much forgotten about the nasty piece of work, but reminded of her recently and her told of her life coaching. It's her choice of work I find disturbing, perhaps she did have to change!

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sun 18-Oct-26 10:37:11

My advice? Sing the theme tune from ‘Frozen’ 🎵 🎶
Play it on Alexa if you have one and belt it out.
“Let it Go”
You’ll feel better for it I think!

Sarnia Sun 18-Oct-26 10:34:10

Life's experiences have maybe mellowed her over the years. She may feel dreadful about the person she was 50 years ago. For your own sake, let it go.

25Avalon Sun 18-Oct-26 10:27:19

You are not being unreasonable to feel this way but be cautioned bitter thoughts however justified will eat away at you and do you no good whilst doing her no harm. Then she wins again. Don’t allow that. If she hasn’t changed then people will start to realise the kind of person she is. If you broadcast it you are the one who stands to be seen in the wrong light as vindictive. As a life coach it’s what she has done a course on so not necessarily her own ideas - do as I say not as I do. Try to let it go, much as it rankles. There’s an old saying “God doesn’t repay his debts in money”.

LovesBach Sun 18-Oct-26 10:20:03

If you are contemplating revenge, then dig two graves. Paraphrasing here, but the message seems to be that you will lose part of yourself if you do this. Attempting to expose her awful behaviour may do her damage. Would you be happy about that, or would you feel that in making someone unhappy you have diminished yourself and behaved as she did all those years ago? I understand how you feel - I was bullied at school - but please let it go.

Aldom Sun 18-Oct-26 10:08:42

Eric wise words I read many years ago.

Forgiving is not forgetting, it's remembering and letting go.

Cossy Sun 18-Oct-26 10:00:06

You are not being silly.

BUT, you must no longer allow this woman to occupy your thoughts or as some might say “take up residence in your brain”.

Put her completely out of your head immediately and concentrate on you, your life, your family and your friends.

Awful as she was/is, she’s of no significance and should not be allowed to be so! thanks

Smileless2012 Sun 18-Oct-26 09:54:41

No, you are not being unreasonable to feel as you do Eric. Bullying leaves emotional scars that stay for a lifetime and those responsible rarely take accountability for the harm they've caused.

You might find it cathartic to write a letter that exposes her past and then when you're ready, burn it.

Don't let the memory of what she was like bring you down and don't forget how courageous you were not to quit and overcome her nastiness. You did so then; you can do so again. flowers.

Fallingstar Sun 18-Oct-26 09:39:50

I understand your anger and frustration. Bullies never understand how far reaching their bullying can be and how they are remembered over the years.
But this woman means nothing to you now, don’t let her have any further hold over you by experiencing this anger, you have to let it go and move on, or she is once again controlling how you feel.
Wishing you well with this 💐

Chocolatelovinggran Sun 18-Oct-26 09:32:22

I have similar memories, Eric, of a woman, now a yoga teacher and "wellness coach" who was a deeply unpleasant Queen Bee when my daughters were at school with her as teenagers.
I hope that she reflected on that time, as an adult, and this has made her want to do better.

Luckygirl3 Sun 18-Oct-26 09:31:24

You need to let this go or she has bugged you twice over: once as a student and now. A rueful shrug is all it deserves ...