So far much of what we talked about has been negative. Yes, the end goal has been increased peace of mind and happiness, but to get there, we had to wade through all the ugly stuff first and work hard at forgiving it. While that’s certainly a big part of the story, it isn’t all of it. In any situation, no matter how ugly or sad, there’s also something good, or something good is coming out of it. If nothing else, our negative experiences help us grow and shape us into the good people we are today. In other words, there’s something good to be found in just about any situation. Sometimes you just have to look pretty hard for it.
When you’re in the daily grind and just going through the motions toward the end of a challenge like this, it can be hard to see progress. Stop and take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come. Think back on the many positive things that have already come out of this journey towards forgiveness.
If you’ve been keeping a journal of some sort throughout the past month, now is the time to dig it out and start browsing through your entries. You’ll likely be pleasantly surprised about how much progress you’ve made since day one. It can be fun to look back on the early days and your experiences then.
If you don’t keep a journal, go back to the earlier posts and emails for this challenge or look back on your interaction in our Facebook group. Reading this older content will jog your memory and help you think back to how you felt about forgiveness earlier in the month. You’ll see how much you’ve learned and even get some refreshers on the tips and strategies I shared with you earlier.
Recalling specific interactions or positive things that have happened as a result of your focus on forgiveness are another great strategy. No matter how things are going and what is happening when you start to embrace forgiveness, you can find something good. I’ll be honest with you, sometimes you have to dig deep, but know that you can find it if you look hard enough.
ACTION FOR TODAY:
Find at least a two (2) positive things that have happened and figure out how far you’ve already come on this forgiveness journey. Write them down in your journal. It will give you the energy and drive to make it through the remaining few days of this challenge.
