Emotional Decluttering Part 2: FORGIVENESS – More Than Letting Go
This week we are addressing the power of forgiveness and the impact it has on your life. Forgiveness is another area to address in emotional decluttering. Let’s talk about it.
Forgiveness is powerful and has the propensity to impact your everyday life. Research indicates forgiveness impacts mental health and physical health outcomes. According to research, forgiveness reduces mental health issues like depression and anxiety and decreases physical health challenges while reducing mortality rates.
Forgiveness is not linear. There are many facets to the process of forgiveness. Sometimes the road to forgiveness is long and arduous. Some roads end and others are winding never ending roads.
Often times people think forgiveness is the act of letting go. It is not mere words but the process of letting go of the feelings you harbor toward the offender.
Forgiveness means:
- Carefully evaluating the offense
- Identifying how the offense has impacted your life
- Determining if you have the capacity to move forward
Forgiveness does not mean:
- Reconciliation
- You are at fault
- Staying in an environment/situation that is harmful
There are steps to forgiveness and what’s most important to remember, is the decision belongs to you.
You have the power to forgive. In doing so, choose the following:
- Choose to have no expectations of the offender or for yourself. You may NOT feel better with the choice you make. Forgiveness does not mean you will feel great after you’ve done so. Healing takes time.
- Make forgiveness a part of your life. Offenses will happen. You get to choose whether you will forgive or hold the offender hostage to their offense.
- Remember forgiveness is personal. You can choose to inform the offender or privately forgive.
Forgiveness is for you. And sometimes, the offender may very well be YOU.
As you reflect on the power of forgiveness. Ask yourself, IS forgiveness impacting your mental and physical health?
Be sure to download the Roadmap to Forgiveness download. Step by Step, you can determine whether forgiveness is for you.
Have a great week and remember, your health is wealth. And “if yesterday dictates your tomorrow, then today is lost, choose TODAY”. ~Sharhonda L. Ford, LCMHC
