Letting go is very difficult for many people. Whether it is the inability of forgiving others for what they have done to you or forgive yourself for that most foolish act many years ago, you end up punishing only yourself in either case. Holding on to resentments gives rise to many ailments. On the contrary, letting go or learning how to forgive leads you innumerable health benefits. Let us see how.

Forgiving Others – Forgive Yourself

It is seen that people who were anxious, fearful, angry, and hostile were less likely to forgive others even after a long time had passed. The vice versa is also true. People who are unable to forgive feel more anxious, hostile, fearful, and angry. Studies show that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who hold resentments.

Why is Forgiving Important?

Chronic resentment has such a debilitating effect on you. It gives rise to anger, guilt, hostility, and hurt from time to time. These emotions release the hormone cortisol in your system, which is bad for you. On the other hand, learning to forgive gives you many health benefits, some of which are:

• Improves immune responses;
• Lowers blood pressure;
• Improves sleep;
• Reduces anxiety and depression;
• Enhances your self-esteem;
• Gives you peace of mind.
• These are just a few of them. So, why not try to inculcate a habit which can offer you so many health benefits!

Why Should You Forgive Others

You may have been hurt by something others did to you in the past or your expectations weren’t met. You may not even remember the reason for this. However, you remember the pain you experienced very clearly and carry it with you like a grudge everywhere you go. This grudge has the capacity of affecting your other relationships too and your own attitude towards life. Forgiveness is not easy, but will surely take you on the path of happiness.

The person who has hurt you is not even aware of what is going on. It is only you who is wallowing in this emotion and it is affecting your health. You will be doing yourself a favor by letting go.

How to Forgive Yourself

Accept the Situation: What has happened in the past cannot be reversed. So accept the fact. Nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes.

Let Go: Forgiveness does not mean forgetting what happened. It just means you will no longer recreate the same emotion that you felt then, over and over in your mind. Learn from that situation and move on.

Stay Away from Negativity: Words are very powerful. No’s and Never’s have a way of ingraining themselves in our memory. So, sentences like, “I will never be able to talk to that person” or “I will never forget what he did to me,” etc., should be avoided. Find out one positive point in each situation, and try to recollect only that.

Jot Down and Destroy: Write down all the things that you think you have done wrong or how somebody else has wronged you. Writing will help you get clarity in your thoughts. Once you have done this, tear and dispose of it in the garbage. This exercise will help you a lot in getting unresolved problems from your head.

Stop Judging Yourself: Have the strength and courage to allow yourself to be vulnerable. Be kind and loving to self. Choose to forgive yourself and then move forward and let go of your past. If you think you have wronged somebody, it would help if you could approach that person and talk to him and literally ask for forgiveness. In all probability, the intensity of that person’s hurt will not be as grave as you assumed it to be. In this way, you can relieve yourself from the torture when you merely think about it.

One or two past incidences should not be given the power to affect your present. Life has to go on. Live each day as it comes and does it in style. Maintain good health. For this, you need to learn to forgive yourself and others!

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi