How To Forgive Someone and Live an Empowered and Happier Life
Understanding Forgiveness:
Forgiveness is when we let go of the anger and hurt we feel when someone has done something wrong to us. It's deciding not to hold a grudge anymore. Forgiveness is about dealing with our feelings, understanding why someone hurt us, and trying to move forward without being angry all the time.
Forgiveness is something that takes time and effort. It can be challenging. By forgiving others, we free ourselves from carrying around all that negativity and make room for happier and healthier relationships. What are the benefits of forgiving?
4 Benefits of Forgiveness:
1. Forgiving helps us feel better and grow as people. When we let go of being mad at someone, we make room for healing and becoming more assertive.
2. Forgiveness can make our bodies healthier, too! It can lower stress, maintain blood pressure, and strengthen our immune system.
3. When we forgive, we become more understanding and kinder to others. It also helps us bounce back from tough times and feel more peaceful.
4. As parents, forgiving others teaches our kids to be compassionate and assertive, which is essential for building good relationships and facing challenges.
In simple terms, forgiving is like giving our hearts a big hug, making us feel happier and healthier. So, how do we forgive?
How to Forgive:
First, it's important to admit when someone hurts us and let ourselves feel our emotions without feeling bad.
Then, try to understand the situation from the other person’s perspective. It's putting ourselves in their shoes, not to say it's okay, but to see they're human too.
Next, we talk to the person about how we feel using “I” statements not to blame the person but to express our needs and boundaries and try to repair things. At this time, we need to be prepared for the other person not to apologize to us. That’s okay.
Finally, stop feeling angry and be kind to the person who hurt you and yourself. It's like saying, "I'm letting go of being angry and being nice instead."
But forgiveness isn't just about saying "it's okay" to others; it's also about being kind to ourselves. Parenting has its ups and downs, and we all make mistakes. But by learning from these moments and being gentle with ourselves, we can become happier and help our children do the same.
Here are some tips on how to forgive ourselves:
Self-Compassion: Self-compassion is about accepting that we're not perfect and that it's okay to make mistakes. Instead of blaming ourselves, we can learn from what happened and move forward with kindness.
Ask for Help: Sometimes, we might feel lost or need help figuring out what to do. But it's important to remember that we're all learning as we go, and it's okay to ask for help along the way.
Grow and Change: Forgiveness helps us grow and change. We can become stronger and more resilient by letting go of self-blame and embracing self-compassion. And as we learn to forgive ourselves, we also teach our children.
Remember, the key is to lead by example and create a safe space for open communication within your family.
Change begins with ourselves!
You are not alone in this parenting journey!
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DISCLAIMER The Tips for Parenting Youngsters Podcast and content posted by Cathy Barker is presented solely for general information, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have. They should seek the assistance of their healthcare professional for any such conditions.
