Today we’re going to recap a few of the points I’ve shared in the past few posts and get serious about starting this process of forgiveness. So far we’ve talked about making the decision to forgive. You also know by now that this is a process that may take some time. Finally, you’re ready to face the pain and work through it. That right there is really how you start forgiving. You feel the pain and acknowledge the anger. Then you make the conscious decision that you don’t have room for either in your life anymore. Those negative feelings are holding you back. They are keeping you from living the full life you’ve always dreamed off. The pain and anger have to go so you can let more joy and happiness into your life.
Next it’s a matter of reminding yourself on a regular basis that this is how things are working now. As human beings we’re bad about falling into old behavior patterns. It takes time and commitment to craft new ones and make them stick. That’s going to be your job going forward and that’s why we’re taking such a long time (21 days to be exact) to focus on this process of forgiveness. I am giving you a plan, a blueprint, and plenty of actionable tips along the way. But you and you alone have to decide how to put them into action and stay on this journey of forgiveness.
You know yourself and you know what motivates you. What can you do to help you stick it out and remember to forgive every single day? Some options I’ve mentioned already are daily affirmations, prayer, and keeping a journal. You may also want to try talking to a priest or therapist and see if that helps. Meditation has been shown to help us forgive, as has reading books on the topic and reminding is of the acts of forgiveness of others.
It’s important to realize that you’re not alone on this journey. Your loved ones want you to feel better and increase your happiness. Talk to them about this challenge and what you’re doing. I’m sure they will gladly become an integral part of your support system. And don’t forget about the community we’re building as part of the challenge. Use our Facebook group as a tool.
Check in daily to remind yourself to continue to work on forgiveness. Share your struggles and your successes. We are a friendly bunch and always happy to cheer you on and help you along in any way we can.
ACTION FOR TODAY:
Today is a day for you to practice self-care. Self-care can be taking a Yoga or Zumba class, enjoying a hot bubble bath, walking in the neighborhood or local park; taking a well-needed nap, getting a massage, setting aside time to meditate and breathe deeply; or indulging in your favorite food or wine.
