You will find friends on Wattpad and lose friends on Wattpad. Then there will be people that cause you some or a lot of problems from the very start.
People on Wattpad are not any different from people in real life, though. That's because, of course, people on Wattpad are real life people. Let's try to remember that!
If there's any difference, it's a small difference that actually brings us closer in understanding: the fact we all chose to hop onto Wattpad. Whether as readers or writers, we're here because we like stories.
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You're going to meet people on Wattpad who frustrate you. Just don't let them infuriate you. I used to get really quite angry at people on Wattpad and just in general, but not so much anymore. Why not?
Because hateful anger doesn't lead to any kind of real happiness. Proving to someone "you're right" or stinging someone with your mot juste can be briefly satisfying, but it doesn't make you happier, not really. Real happiness comes from helping people understand things like this, which is why I've written this book and why I write A History of Ghosts. I truly believe in the power of compassionate understanding.
When I get angry, I don't bury that anger nor do I water it. I say hello to it and ask why it's arisen. I try to understand it, I tell it there-there, and I let it go to sleep again. Meanwhile, I work every day to deepen my compassion and my understanding. It isn't quick to deepen. It's a whole long road, a path. But a path very much worth it I think.
This isn't a privileged or idealistic notion. It's a human one. Thích Nhất Hạnh was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr., and he saw terrible things in Vietnam, his home, during the Vietnam War. Yet he never learned to hate the opposing forces which savaged his home; he professes these same ideas I have, many of which I've passed on to you. The Dalai Lama was exiled from his home in Tibet, and the Chinese government did horrible things to the Tibetans left behind, such as making the children kill animals in order to nullify their peaceful upbringing. Yet, the Dalai Lama does not hate the Chinese. He also professes love and kindness toward all.
When dealing with people on Wattpad, try to be kind! It is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it shows your strength, and why? Because it is easy to indulge our egos—to think "me, me, me"—but it is hard to let go of your ego, and realize that selfness leads to a lot of sadness and a lot of unhappy delusions.
That said, you can't defeat all trolls with kindness. Moreover, you may be young and under-equipped to deal with them. If you feel it would be overwhelming to deal with someone using words, here are somethings I recommend:
► First, try to ignore them. Delete any negative messages and mute the user. If something is bothering you and it's on your profile, you have the right to remove it. Do so, if it is hurting you and making you mad. Once you've cooled down, think about how to use what happened to make you happier. Try not to brood on what happened.
► If they are breaking any rules, report them to Wattpad. Bigotry and cyberbullying are not allowed on Wattpad and will not be tolerated. Here's a good page to learn more, and learn what to do in these situations:
