"The weak can never forgive.
Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
" - Mahatma Gandhi We've all been hurt by others, treated poorly, trust and hearts were broken.
And while it's normal to feel that pain, sometimes it just stays with us for too long and we go through same movie in our minds over and over.
The question is, what can we do with the pain? Ideally, we release the anger and just give it up.
While most of us want to let go and forgive, we don't really know how to do that.
Forgiveness doesn't mean you delete the past or forget what happened; it's not even a guarantee that the other person will change; you cannot control others.
To forgive means that you disconnect yourself from the pain, let go and move on to a happier place.
Here are several strategies that will help you forgive others and find peace: 1.
Express Your Feelings.
Instead of expressing their feelings, most people suppress their anger or frustration.
Get in touch with your inner self and find out why you feel the way you do.
Gently tell your partner how their actions have affected you.
It's unresolved conflicts that lead to resentment, frustration and eventually to hate.
2.
Put Yourself In Someone Else's Shoes.
Start from the belief that your partner is a good person, but just made a mistake.
Ask yourself, what could they have been thinking or feeling to make them act the way they did? Studies show that empathy is directly connected to forgiveness.
What about you? Have you ever made such mistakes? Once you understand each other's perspective, you can start finding solutions together.
3.
Take Responsibility.
Don't put all the blame on your partner.
Ask yourself, what could you have done to prevent those things from happening? How do you make sure it doesn't happen again? This isn't to say that you're absolving them of their part of the blame; instead, you realize that you are not a victim, but an active participant in life.
4.
The Magic Of Now.
Now that you've reflected on what happened, realize that it's no longer going on.
Forgive the person and realize that by doing so, you are allowing yourself to move away from the past and be happy.
Shift your attention into the present and find joy in your life right in this moment and stop replaying events in your mind.
Feel compassion for the other person and let love grow in your heart.
Here is a simple breathing exercise you can try right now.
Imagine each breath that goes out is the pain of the past, feel how you are releasing the anger from your mind and body.
Then, visualize each breath that is coming in as forgiveness, entering your body and filling you up with peace.
Release the anger and let love come in.
Move on, dwelling no more on the past, but living peacefully in the now.
The Challenge My challenge to you is to find a benefit in every apparently negative thing that happened to you.
Try this for just one day.
It's a powerful way to eliminate stress and stop focusing on the unpleasant things in life, from rude people, to angry spouses and rainy days.
Play this game just for today and you'd be surprised by how many benefits you can find in your stresses.
We'd love to hear from you and share your story with us.
And if your day becomes brighter, why not try it for longer?