Today, let's dive into why forgiveness matters so much.
Why is it essential for our well-being?
And why should we dedicate time and energy to strengthening our forgiveness muscles?
If Dogs Can Do It, So Can We.
Research shows that dogs are quick to forgive, letting go of past wrongs and rebuilding relationships almost instantly.
As humans, we often hesitate to forgive ourselves or others, fearing that by doing so, we might be excusing our mistakes.
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However, recent studies suggest the opposite. When you forgive yourself, you’re more likely to make amends and grow from your experiences.
Deepak Chopra's Guide to Forgiveness
Throughout history, wise thinkers—including our modern sage, Deepak Chopra—have emphasized that forgiveness is key to happiness.
Today’s sacred practice draws from his four essential steps to embracing forgiveness.
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Forgiveness will help you manage painful emotions, distinguish it from justice, and reclaim your emotional power.
Your Sacred Forgiveness Workout 💪 Moving Forward with Forgiveness
- Clarify Your Emotions: Write a letter expressing all your feelings to the person who hurt you. Let out your emotions like anger, grief, and disappointment. Keep writing until you've said everything on your mind.
- Release Resistance: Forgiveness means letting go of resistance to the past. (They happened. There is no value in refusing to accept they happened.) Remember acceptance is not approval but moving forward without resistance, allowing growth from difficult situations.
- Allow the Past To Empower Your Values: Reflect on how challenges make you stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. Consider how challenges shape your values and goals. Use the following questions to expand into Your Values:
- What qualities do I have that someone without this experience might be lacking?
- If I were to let go of the emotional content from the past and just keep the lessons, what would those lessons be?
- How have my values been changed through this experience?
- How have I grown through this experience? If I have not grown as much as I would like through the experience, what is holding me back?
- What would it look like if I were to release the victim mindset and step completely into a growth mentality?
- Define Yourself by Your Values, Not Your Past: To forgive, acknowledge the lesson learned, express gratitude, and free yourself from negative emotions. It's not a straightforward process but shifting focus from bitterness to gratitude can lead to transformation. By focusing on the positive outcomes of a situation, you can grow and realize your full potential
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Pro Tip: Consider this when it’s hard to forgive. Often the reason we can’t forgive, is because we have unexpressed emotion inside. Consider a small child, that just had his favorite book lost by a friend. When we don’t allow our small selves to hurt, to feel, and to grieve, there is no chance that we can let go of the past. But once we feel heard, and understood, often we find forgiveness quite natural. So the next time you can’t forgive – spend as much time as you need to feel, to grieve, to deeply and authentically express your emotions. The best way to do this is often in writing. And it is recommended that you then burn or shred your writing.
