6 Ways to Make Forgiveness a Part of Your Life

Unresolved trauma and disputes can influence you more than you might know, whether it's a minor argument with your significant other or a long-standing grudge against a family member or acquaintance.

The good news? Forgiveness can be beneficial to your health—reducing pain, blood pressure, anxiety, stress, and depression as well as lowering the risk of a heart attack.  

Learn six ways to make forgiveness a part of your life, for the benefit of your emotional and physical well-being!  

Learn to be More Forgiving 

Forgiveness is an active process in which you decide to let go of the negativity that you are feeling towards a person, whether they deserve it or not. As you release all the anger, resentment, and hostility that you are holding onto, you will begin to feel empathy, compassion, and even peace towards whoever wronged you.  

Forgiveness is not just about words. 

It has been discovered that certain people forgive more readily by nature. They thus tend to have lower levels of stress, anxiety, despair, and rage and higher levels of life satisfaction. Grudge-holders are more prone to suffer from PTSD, depression, and other long-term health issues.

But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean that you can’t train yourself to forgive and act more healthfully. 

6 Ways to Make Forgiveness Part of Your Life 

Forgiveness is a choice, and sometimes it can be a difficult one. The following steps can help you develop a more forgiving state of mind so you can reap all the benefits!  

Try a Little Tenderness 

The next time you are with a friend or family member and begin to feel angry or hurt, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and imagine why they might be acting that way toward you. Do they have their own battles to contend with? Because we often take our frustrations out on those closest to us.

Understanding that we all carry wounds in our hearts can help open the door to forgiveness. 

Try a little bit of empathy. It can ease your pain and soften the blow of harsh words by recognizing the other person at the moment.  

Let Go of Expectations 

Remember that even if the other person apologizes, it might not improve your relationship or make things instantly better. If you let go of your expectations, you won’t be disappointed, and it will be easier to move forward and forgive.

Some people think it's impossible to love someone who has wronged you. I'm here to tell you differently, though. People who forgive eventually find a way to open up their hearts. By shedding bitterness and putting love and forgiveness in their place, you find freedom. This transformation will create a legacy of love that will continue long after you are gone.

Be Courageous 

It's not always simple to summon up the courage you need; you have to draw it from the very core of your being. It takes discipline to have the courage to forgive since it stems from a place of compassion and understanding.

It takes courage to put aside your feelings and accept your loved ones, flaws, and all. But it is an important part of the path to forgiveness.  

Breathe it Out 

Stop and close your eyes whenever you are faced with a fresh pain or an old one from the past. Try to calm your breathing and pay attention to your heartbeat while taking at least five slow breaths in and out. Allow your tension, pain, and anxiety to fade away as you pay attention to how your abdomen moves up and down with each breath.

When we breathe deeply and slowly, we are sending signals to the brain allowing the tension in the muscles to be released.  

Address Your Inner Pain 

You can't completely forgive unless you comprehend the source of your anguish and hurt. Emotional pain can manifest in a variety of ways, including anxiety, despair, rage, lack of trust, low self-esteem, and a pessimistic outlook.

It is vital to recognize and acknowledge the anguish you are experiencing since all of these problems can be resolved with forgiveness.

You may be able to account for your pain on your own, but you might need help from a therapist to truly find the healing that you need. At Open Heart Holistic Therapy, I can help you find profound relief from the pain and trauma that is bogging you down. With EPT, you’ll learn to forgive so you can move forward with enhanced emotional and physical well-being. 

Forgive Yourself  

It's possible that you have a tougher time loving yourself than you do other people. It's not just you. If you are feeling unlovable because of trauma from your past, you may need to work on forgiving yourself and giving yourself the gift of inherent worth, despite your past actions.

You should accept that you are imperfect. Develop self-compassion and be kinder to yourself. Once you've forgiven yourself, you can focus on forgiving others or asking for forgiveness to make amends for past wrongs.

While You’re Here > Use Gratitude to Change Your Life 

Let Go and Forgive with an Open Heart  

If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or anger, I can help! Emotional Polarity Technique will unearth the root causes of your mental struggles and will help you heal with the power of forgiveness.  

Move forward, learn to forgive, and live a more positive life! Schedule a consultation with me, Paige Cargioli at Open Heart Holistic Therapy!