Well, I don’t make a habbit shining a light on my crazy, but I’ll make an exception for a good cause, and the chance to get my hands on a new book to devour is a good cause!
I spent a whole lot of years in a constant state of anger. During those years, everything I touched seemed to fall apart. I felt and acted like a victim, the world was out to get me, I was cursed. I participated in self-destructive activities, and then blamed everyone but me when my behavior bit me in the butt.
Then one day, it dawned on me, that I was angry, and that anger was driving my crappy attitude, and attracting crappy circumstances. But what could I do about it? I couldn’t go back in time and change the events that left me so hurt and mad. I figured out that it was an unwillingness to forgive those who hurt me, and those who allowed me to be hurt. It was also an unwillingness to forgive me.
It was a long process, but I was able to give forgivness to everyone I felt had contributed to my anger. What I discovered was, forgiveness isn’t about those who need to be forgiven, forgiveness is about me. I’ve come to believe that anger is a poison to the soul and to the physical body, and that it grows in strength over time. And forgiveness is the antidote for that poison. As I began to forgive, even though I didn’t tell anyone I had forgiven them, I began to see changes in every area of my life: my relationships, my habbits, my finances, my health, even my luck began to change.
My most important self-care practice is to end everyday with a spirit of forgiveness. I don’t go to sleep with anyone on my mind that I haven’t given forgiveness to, including myself, so that I can wake up every morning with a spirit of thankfulness and peace.
I have to say this is one of the best yet. I agree about forgiving. Not just saying "sorry" because as my husband puts it, it's like saying take it or leave it.
You sleep better when you know you can forgive and have received forgiveness. There is something about forgiveness that releases that poison, that stronghold on you.
Yeah, I agree. It’s the same as just saying “I forgive...” It’s about truely forgiving and letting it go, otherwise it is just lip service.
Forgiveness and gratitude go hand in hand, great work! I'm going to try that before bed now.
It is hard to be grateful when you’re holding onto feelings of hurt and anger, isn’t it?
Yes! I totally agree about the effects of anger on our own physical and mental well being. Also, I believe that what we focus on, we create more of, as in the Law of Attraction. That being said, forgiveness is one of my biggest challenges. It frustrates me and I find myself reminding myself to be gentle and patient because 40 years of living a certain way is a strong habit. I just keep trying.
Sometimes, when I’m having a hard time with forgivness, I write a note to the person I need to forgive. Maybe they don’t know I’m even upset, and that’s not what’s important. But I write a note explaining why I’m upset and that I forgive them. Once I’ve truely forgiven, I can just throw the note in the trash. I don’t know why it works, maybe just having something tangible to validate my feelings gives me something to ‘aim’ my forgiveness at?
I like that. When I'm better about getting to bed earlier and find myself with more time in the morning I like to do that I call 'm meditative journaling' or a brain dump. By grabbing a pen and paper and just writing everything that comes to mind, I feel lighter after! Even if it's something like, "This is a stupid. I have nothing to say. Why aren't I... Why did I..." Even if it seems pointless and negative, I get it out. It's kind of like nurturing and angry child by letting them punch a pillow so that they can then breathe easier and come back to themselves in a gentler state. So if this works for my inner critic, I can totally see how it could help me with forgiveness! Thanks so much!