Different people have different meanings of forgiveness. However, in general, forgiveness is the pathway to set you free from the grips of resentment and anger. Forgiveness leads to understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurts you. The more you forgive in life, the easier it becomes for you to forget the harm done to you.
HOLDING ONTO A GRUDGE
If you find it hard to forgive someone, this will keep you stuck in the past and not let you move forward.
- You might become depressed, frustrated and anxious
- It will harm your peace of mind and pull you back from enjoying the present
- You will adopt the habit of complaining
- You will feel at odds with your spiritual beliefs
- Your new relationships and experiences will suffer the taste of your anger and bitterness. Thus, your enriching connections may be lost.
- You may experience elevated blood pressure and heart rate.
BENEFITS OF FORGIVENESS IN MENTAL WELLNESS
Letting go of bitterness and grudges is good for your health as well as peace of mind. You will stop feeling the burden in your head as it invites negativity in your lives.
- You get out of the victim mode
Forgiveness will break the negative bonds between you and the person that hurt you. Getting rid of negative energy means no longer being a victim. This will help boost your self-esteem and confidence further letting you focus on establishing your own integrity and character.
- You become more directed towards a spiritual path
Forgiveness motivates you to focus on the good in everybody and relate to them. The compassion growing within you will redirect you towards acts of kindness and goodness which is the path of peace. Forgiveness also helps you understand that the past can remain in the past.
- Forgiveness improves your health
When you are no longer chained to any entity that zaps your energy, your body, mind and spirit feel free. A forgiving person is not wired to anger, anxiety, depression and undue stress generation which explains the role of forgiveness in mental wellness. Forgiving may allow you to take care of your physical health as well. The intensity of your stress is related to the intensity of your physical reaction from mild to very intense. This can cause elevated blood pressure, heart rate and feelings of being controlled by some other person. Forgiveness will lift off the pressure from your shoulders and give you a sigh of relief.
PRACTICE FORGIVENESS IN MENTAL WELLNESS
- Acknowledge the cause of hurt
Find the root of your pain. A better understanding of the problem allows you to choose a better way to solve it. So, ask yourself these questions:
- What are you feeling?
- Is it sadness, anger, self pity, hate or jealousy?
- Is it anger toward some other person or you yourself have created this situation?
- Forgive yourself first
Forgiveness has to begin from within. You are not the reason for your pain. Stop blaming yourself. The feeling of self pity and negative emotions has to go. When you realize, it is someone else responsible for your pain, only then do you realize you can be set free from it.
- Attract positivity
Breathe in compassion.Once you learn to stop blaming yourself, you have to focus on the responsible person you are now. Thus, you are expected to empathize with the other person, the one that may have hurt you, and think about their circumstances and emotions. Challenge yourself to see the world from that person’s shoes and view the hurtful situation through his or her perspective. Thus, it teaches you that forgiveness is not about who is right or wrong, it is about doing the right thing. This will further help you to heal.
- Forgive selflessly
Focus on the solution and not the problem. This will help you to practice compassion and empathy rather than just talking about it. Believe in this positive gesture of forgiving others.Reflecting on times when others might have forgiven you will also be helpful. If you need external help, you can rely on guided meditation, prayers and even writing a journal. A spiritual leader, a mental health provider, a loved one or a friend are some wise and compassionate people you can take help from too. Don’t forget, even the small hurts cannot be left untreated. They also need to be revisited and forgiven again and again.
- Be grateful
Forgiveness will show you a new and better path to live. Setting yourself free from the clutches of negative energy and pain is a powerful way to empower personal growth. You are able to enjoy the peace and freedom to live as a better version of yourself. Both the forgiver and the forgiven are benefitted and they can transfer that energy to the people around them as well.
- Learn to love again
A forgiving heart is full of love and compassion. It prepares you to trust again and spread love to others. This is the ultimate way of experiencing eternal peace and joy. So, learn to forgive instead of waiting for an apology. It will keep the hate, pain and anger in control and help you cherish your new relationships and bonds. So, choose love, choose forgiveness.
CONCLUSION
Working on forgiveness will lessen the grip of pain on you. However, nobody is forcing you to make up with the person who caused you harm, but by forgiving, you let go of the resentment and anger. Forgiveness also leads to new opportunities and relationships.So, forgive and give way to a joyful and peaceful life.
Download the JOYSCORE app to learn how to deal with your life in a peaceful and healthy way.
Download on the Appstore
Get it on Google Play
