Forgiveness is definitely a virtue. It helps us overlook the mistakes of other people and understand their circumstances. It’s free us from anger and bitterness- two grave emotions that can take a toll on our physical and mental health. It is easy to forgive others- but can you forgive yourself?
Easy Way To Forgive Yourself From the Past
We are all human, prone to mistakes and sins. Sometimes, we commit mistakes that are difficult for us to condone. Like forgiving others, forgiving your own self is a process as well- it takes time and effort. Here are 10 ways in which you can forgive yourself and start moving forward with your life.
- Understand that you cannot change the past
Whatever you may have done in the past, you cannot change now. The first step you should take to forgive yourself is let go of the past. This will lead to more tolerance and acceptance. When our self-acceptance increases, we create a way for emotional healing.
2. Understand your present values and morals
Sometimes, we feel embarrassed or guilty about our past actions because they go against our current values and principles. Tell yourself that it is completely okay to change over time. In fact, our past mistakes can actually help us learn about what we hold important in life, which is another significant step for you to start moving forward.
3. Start acting according to your current morals and values
Instead of filling your mind with negative ideas about yourself, think about things that you can do differently this time around. Motivational thoughts can actually help you re-evaluate your life and conform to the present morals and ideas that you hold dear. This way, you can assure yourself that you are growing and evolving as a human being.
4. Create a re-do list
Think about how you would have done things differently in the present. In this way, you will know that not only have you learned from the past but also you would do things differently if you could go back in time.
This will give you the assurance that you have grown as a person, and if faced with the same situation today, you would do the right thing. There are many motivational stories online that talk about personalities who have learned from their past mistakes and acted differently in the future.
5. Recreate your present goals
The pain and experience gained from past mistakes can help you guide yourself in the right direction in your life. The pain and suffering that ensues after the mistakes is probably the most difficult thing to get over.
Of course, it will not go away in a day, but you can channelize this pain to move your life in a positive direction- in fact, you can use this pain to change yourself for the better.
6. Make note of all your regrets
It is important to make note of all the regrets that you may have with regard to your past behaviour. Understand that you cannot regret something that you had no control over. Your behaviour in the past was influenced by the ideas and morals that you subscribed to. Instead of regretting those past decisions, use them as an inspirational success story in your life.
7. Think about the positives
When you first realize that you have made a significant mistake that has cost you time, money or a relationship, it gets difficult to focus on the positive aspect of things. Sometimes, it may seem like the cloud has no lining at all.
You may think that you gained nothing from the negative experience apart from a heartbreak, then you are probably not looking at things the right way. In all probability, the mistake led you on to a different path in your life and brought about changes that were absolutely necessary.
If you are wondering how to forgive yourself, understand that your life has probably been made better by your past decisions.
8. Don’t hide from your mistakes
Sometimes, we are unwilling to acknowledge the fact that we made a mistake. To us, our behaviour was completely justified. This is unhealthy behaviour.
You can only move on from a mistake when you acknowledge that there was a mistake made in the first place. Don’t live in denial. The faster you understand that the fault was on your part, the easier it would be to forgive yourself.
9. Don’t be too hard on yourself
The first thing we do, when we realize our mistakes, blames ourselves. The negative adjectives come flying into our minds. It’s very natural to think that way, but understand that your mistakes are a result of a momentary lapse of judgment, and in no way reflect who you are as a person. Realize that it is only human to make mistakes- the more important thing is to learn from these mistakes and move on.
10. Love Yourself
This is the last step in the process of forgiving yourself. Show yourself some love and compassion. Speak to yourself, counsel yourself, and treat yourself with kindness and adoration. That is the only way you will realize what a beautiful human being you are.
Conclusion
You cannot escape from making mistakes, right? Sooner or later, you will take a tumble. But the important thing is to learn and rise. You are a lot more than your mistakes, so don’t be afraid of failing once in a while!
