It takes guts and a lot of bravery to be able to forgive. You might feel that you should not forgive someone that easy after being hurt by them emotionally . You may even think that you are doing them a huge favour. But the fact is that you are actually doing yourself a favour by forgiving and forgetting it. Maya Angelou rightly said,
“One of the greatest gifts that you can give yourself is to forgive. Forgive everybody.”
Give yourself the gift of forgiveness so that you can be happy and sleep well at night. It is important to understand that this is not for them, this is for you. You need to disentangle yourself from those feelings of anger and hate that had been eating away your sanity for so long. This is important so that you can finally be at peace. There really is no point in continuing to nurture those feelings of anger and resentment.
In stark contrast to what society may have you believe, being able to forgive and let go is a sign of great strength and bravery. Your supposed weakness does not compel you to forgive someone. It is the realization that only by flushing out all bitterness will you truly be at peace and able to move forward. This is why Mahatma Gandhi famously said,
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Also, forgiveness is a sign that you care about your own self. Your health and well-being are important to you, which is why you have made the decision to get rid of all toxic elements from your life. You have chosen peace and love over bitterness and hate. It takes a truly courageous individual to do that. If you let it, hate and resentment can up-end almost everything in your life. So, choose love just like Martin Luther King tells us to in the following words,
“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. Even the worst of us have some good in them and the best of us have some evil in them. When we discover this, we will be less prone to hate our enemies.”
So, remove those shackles of anger and bitterness. Love yourself and care about yourself enough to be able to let go of all negativity. If you are mad about someone’s actions or the way they have treated you, then be mad and let it all out. But once you are done, let forgiveness into your heart again.
Forgiveness Will Come Back to You in Unexpected Ways
You know what they say about reaping what you sowed. And who among us doesn’t make mistakes? We all have screwed up a few times. So, learn to forgive others as easily as you expect to be forgiven by others for your own mistakes. Trust me, you do so and it will come back to benefit you in the most unexpected ways and at the most unexpected times.
“In this world, you are given as you give. And you are forgiven as you forgive. While you go your way through each lovely day, you create your future as you live.” (Peace Pilgrim)
Tips to Forgive Someone with Ease
It goes without saying that this is not the easiest thing to do. But there are some simple tips that you can utilize to become better at forgiving others. Take a look at them below.
⦁ Move On From the Past
Understand that what hurt you in the past is no longer a part of your current reality. That old chapter is long gone now and there is no need to reopen it. Think of your life as a book with several chapters or a play with many different acts. Some of the characters in those acts are supposed to be short-lived while others have bigger roles. Some are going to be the villains and some will be good. But they will all have a unique role to play in the story of your life. Embrace them all and deal with them as they come. Then move on to the next act.
⦁ Don’t Go to Bed In An Angry Or Bitter Mood
Every night when you go to bed, try not to reminisce about any bitter memory. Use this precious time in the right way, which is to fall into peaceful sleep thinking only about the most positive aspects of your life.
⦁ Stop With the Blame Game
Whenever you are angry about the way someone has treated you, try not to focus on them or what they have done. Thinking about it and feeling resentful for long periods afterward will only harm you, not them. No one has the power to make you feel upset without your permission. So, don’t give them that permission.
Do you remember the last time you forgave someone from the bottom of your heart? Share your stories with us in the comments below. Cheers.