SJenny
This is Day 1 of the Forgiveness Challenge – Welcome. If you are reading this blog but you have not signed up for the Challenge, scroll to the bottom and all the details are there!
(Suggestion: Get a journal and write on the various topics I share throughout the month. Then, at the end, read back through to see how your perspective has shifted.)
Today’s Journal Prompt: What does forgiveness mean to you?
Before we dive in to the more hands-on content of this 30 day challenge, I think it’s important that we explore what forgiveness is. In tomorrow’s post, we’ll talk a little more about what it isn’t, and then we move into a discussion about why forgiveness is important. But, when preparing for this challenge a few things happened that made me feel it would be important to also explore traditional forgiveness and radical forgiveness. And, depending where you are at, some or all of this will make sense. I invite you to take what works for you and leave the rest. This is about EXPLORING.
Forgiveness can mean a lot of different things to different people in different situations. Forgiveness is the act of forgiving someone or something. This could mean forgiving them for harsh words or unkind actions. It can also mean that we forgive a debt. That debt could be emotional (someone owes us a favor for example), or material and monetary (forgiving the $20 owed to you). This is a traditional view of forgiveness.
Throughout this 30 Day Challenge we’ll be focusing on the emotional forgiveness. In many ways, it’s much easier to forgive a material debt than an emotional one. In those cases when we have a hard time forgiving a material debt, chances are it’s because strong emotions are involved as well. Take for example the many cases when siblings start to fight and drift apart while dividing up their parent’s estate. Those fights and arguments aren’t really about who gets mom’s china or dad’s toolbox. It’s much more about dealing with loss, hanging on to the memories of loved ones, and making sure you get your “fair share” of that legacy. The heart is involved.
Forgiveness then is the act of forgiving someone for something you have perceived that they have done to you. It’s about letting go and being able to move on. It’s not about acting like nothing ever happened. Instead it’s about accepting the past so you can let go of it. It’s about living in the present and looking forward to the future. It’s about letting go of resentment so you have room to let in joy and happiness. It is about finding the lesson and healing the wound so that these patterns do not need to continue showing up for you. This a radical view of forgiveness. We will learn more later in the challenge.
Forgiveness allows space. Space allows growth. Growth supports expansion. Expansion leads to positive change. Evolution.
What it boils down to is this. Forgiveness isn’t really about the other person. It’s about you. It’s about taking back control of your life and your emotions. It’s about forging your own destiny. Forgiveness really is a choice you have to make. How will you chose to deal with negativity? Will you allow it to take control over your life and how you feel? Will you allow it to shade everything else that happens to you going forward? Will you allow these bad memories to continue to play on an endless loop in your head? Are you open to exploring other perspectives?
Are you ready to get back in charge, make the conscious choice to forgive, and thus take the power over your feelings and reactions away from the person who’s done you wrong? Are you ready to empower yourself and free yourself from the prison you’ve built in the name of justice, fairness or getting even?
Living a life of forgiveness means living a life filled with love, acceptance, and joy. It’s not always easy to forgive and forget, but it’s always well worth it.
To make sure you don’t miss a post, get access to our Forgiveness Challenge Facebook group, sign up for the 30 Day Forgiveness Challenge here:
And I will send you all the information and the link to the Facebook Group!
I look forward to seeing you on the other side and please feel free to invite your friends!
