Buddha says we cannot get rid of the First arrow, but we can control what we do with our second arrow. Our Second arrow is the response to the pain of the first arrow and in most cases, it is plain “RESISTANCE” to this pain.

While those sorts of reactions might feel like the right things to do at the time, they don’t really help: instead of feeling better, we will likely feel even worse. Our whole body might be filled with even more uncomfortable sensations: those are the “second darts” we create, which we then react to even more, by which discomfort or physical pain... See more

“In life, we cannot always control the first arrow; however, the second arrow is our reaction to the first. The second arrow is optional.”