SJennyJournal Prompt: Are there some things you have not forgiven yourself for? Explain.
So far we’ve talked a lot about forgiving others in this 30 Day Forgiveness Challenge. There’s one very important person we’ve not talked about yet – and that’s you.
It’s about time we take a closer look at forgiving yourself, what it means, why it’s so difficult, and why it is important.
Forgiving yourself is often harder than forgiving anyone else. We’re hard on ourselves. We are our own worst critics and as a result it’s often tough to forgive ourselves. It’s hard to admit and let go of our mistakes. Yet self-forgiveness is one of the most powerful parts of self-love. And, if we can forgive ourselves, others may follow our lead.
When you learn to forgive yourself your past mistakes, you aren’t just able to start moving on. You will also start to develop a deeper feeling of self-worth. With that comes a new-found self-confidence that will serve you well in the days to come. Life is much easier and a lot more fun when you are able to develop a good feeling of self-worth and self-confidence. We all make mistakes, but mistakes provide an opportunity for learning LESSONS that change who we are!
Of course all of that is easier said than done. Forgiving yourself, as I mentioned earlier, is harder than it looks. It’s not something that comes easy to most of us. If you’re lacking in self-worth, and self-confidence, it will be even harder. The good news is that you can get there by following a simple step-by-step process.
Start by admitting your mistakes. You won’t be able to forgive yourself if you don’t know what you’re forgiving yourself for. Make a list, or simply start with some of your biggest mistakes. Admit them to yourself so you can start to move on.
Next, think about what you would have done differently, given the chance. Knowing what you do now, what would you change? With that clear in your mind, realize that you did the best at the time. Maybe you didn’t make the best decisions, but you had to grow as a person to realize that. Forgive your past self for the decisions you made, and be thankful for those mistakes. They are part of what molded you into the person you are today. We learn from our mistakes and all experiences (good and bad), mold and shape us.
Last but not least, vow to do better in the future. You have grown and become a different (and hopefully better) person as a result of the mistakes you’ve made. Forgive yourself for the things you regret and work on doing better going forward. Do this and you’ll notice how your feeling of self-worth increases with each good decision you make. Before you know it, you’ll be the confident, happy person you’re striving to be – thanks to self-forgiveness.
TIP: Imagine a small child coming to you to ask forgiveness for something they have done, how would you speak to them? Speak to yourself with the same tenderness. We are often incredibly cruel to ourselves!
