Being that I’m writing this post on Global Forgiveness Day (July 7th), it felt fitting to write about the power of forgiveness. In this post I’m going to share how forgiveness can change your life and I’ll give you a few ways you can practice this transformative act of liberation.
Why is it important?
First, I want to acknowledge that this can be a very heavy topic for some. I don’t want you to think I’m grouping all types of forgiveness in one category. The intention of this post isn’t to judge or push anyone to do anything they’re not ready for. Everyone is on their personal life journey and some of us might not be ready to forgive yet, and that’s okay.
That being said, we chose to live this human experience and no human is perfect. As we grow, new experiences and challenges arise. We also have met and will continue to meet all types of people during the ongoing seasons of our lives. Chances are, you have experienced a type of “hurt” whether that was in the form of betrayal, resentment or abandonment. Sometimes, the other person may have hurt us by “mistake.” For example, forgetting to do something like attending a meaningful event of yours, etc.
Forgiveness is full of power because it brings a sense of freedom. When you forgive, you are intentionally and consciously choosing to release any of those heavy feelings such as resentment that had been weighing you down. It can take time but when you choose to forgive, your overall life can improve in many ways.
Benefits of forgiveness
Choosing to forgive is a form of self-love, in my opinion, because you are choosing to free yourself. When you forgive someone, you are choosing the healing path. You are also taking your power back because you are releasing those negative feelings and energy. It all comes down to making a choice. Forgiveness is full of power.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, “Studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress.” Aside from those health benefits, forgiveness can also improve your relationships because it takes compassion and understanding to forgive.
Finally, I want to mention that oftentimes the person we need to forgive in order to transform our lives, is ourselves. This may be overlooked because it’s easier to blame others for wrongful actions, but if you look within, there could be self-resentment (is that a word? lol) living inside you. Maybe we resent ourselves for something we did in the past or for something we didn’t do. This type of forgiveness is just as important, if not more powerful than forgiving other people. When you choose to release the guilt and/or shame, you are taking responsibility for your life and are choosing to move on.
The practice of forgiveness
When thinking of forgiveness, recognize that it is a commitment that may take time. One of the first steps you can take is self-reflect in order to recognize if you carry resentments or other heavy feelings caused by others or yourself. Once you gained clarity, you could write everything out in order to release emotions that were pent up inside you. You could then burn the paper as a symbol of releasing. Going to therapy is always an option as well, there is no shame in that.
One technique I fell in love with the first time I heard about it is the ancient Hawaiian forgiveness prayer called Ho’oponopono. You may have heard about it since it has grown in popularity in the self-development space. Ho’oponopono can translate to “to make right.”
The Ho’oponopono prayer consists of 4 simple phrases that can be repeated as a mantra over and over again. They are the following: “I’m sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you.” According to Psychology Today, “Practicing Ho‘oponopono allows you to cut the aka connection (essentially clearing out preconceptions in how we view others) in a very positive, loving way, knowing that you can make the connection brand new. When you become right with others, you become right with yourself.”
Place your hands on your heart and repeat the mantra with intention. It is a very healing practice that touches on forgiveness, gratitude and love. There are many videos on YouTube where you can find Ho‘oponopono guided meditations to follow along.
Final thoughts
I know this wasn’t a light topic but sometimes those are the ones that require the most attention. There is so much power in forgiveness. Now you know all the ways forgiving can help you. It truly can be the action towards the next step of your life. The choice is yours. You’ll know when you’re ready. And if you haven’t sat with yourself to reflect, take the time to do that so you can recognize if you have to release any negative emotions that no longer serve you.
Forgiveness is all about mending relationships (even the relationship with yourself) and freeing yourself. If you remembered people that you have hurt, know you also have the choice to reach out to them asking for forgiveness if that feels right to you.
Let’s work together!
- If you’re really ready to create the life you want
- If you want to increase your happiness and feel more confident in who you are
- If you want to trust yourself more and live on purpose
I can help you! Schedule your clarity call to work with me HERE.
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