Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you. Forgiveness is a conscious act of letting go of hurt and emotional wrongdoing.
It does not imply you condone their wrongdoings; it does not mean that we ascribe judgment. Instead, choose to release the power others holdover you from past actions. When you decide to let go and allow peace to reign within your soul, you heal emotionally.
Forgiveness always begins with you. First and foremost, you must forgive yourself in any situation and then extend that to another person. Forgive past mistakes, ignorance, and wrong choices that have brought about situations you can learn from.
Why is Forgiveness Important?
Without Forgiveness, you can’t move forward in life. You are perpetually stuck in a cycle of the past and hurt. Instead of pushing onward in life, you keep looking back at past experiences that caused hurt and relive them repeatedly. When Forgiveness is chosen, you can decide to release past traumas and place inner peace above all else. Forgiveness brings calmness, clarity, emotional healing, and strength of character.
Forgiveness benefits you directly and has less to do with others. We grow when we forgive. Forgiveness opens for new experiences to enter your life. By letting go of the past and feelings of resentment and anger, you permit growth and resilience to take place.
Forgiveness’s beauty naturally brings about emotional healing, releases trauma, and frees your mind from the negative impacts of past hurts.
How To Forgive?
- Acknowledge feelings of anger, hurt, and resentment
- Seek clarifications on the situation
- Ask yourself “who” was hurt.
- Let go of the perceived hurtful situation and event. Move on by making conscious efforts to heal emotionally.
Overall, Forgiveness is an essential part of human relationships. It is a desirable virtue that every person cherishes their personal growth, happiness, and fulfillment above all else.