Category Archives: forgiveness

Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different.

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“Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different.”

—Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, television producer, actress, and author

Image from Unsplash by Alex Shute

Wishing your past had been different is a wasteful pursuit.

What happened happened, and there is yet to be a time machine invented to undo what’s done.

Unfortunately, many of us hold on to the pains, regrets, missteps, bad breaks, and wrongs done to us, and can’t seem to let go.

Playing these events over and over in our minds is like running on the treadmill — you get all worked up, but don’t get anywhere.

Oprah suggests that forgiveness is a key to unlock the gates that hold us back from living lives with greater peace and freedom.

EXERCISE:

Where and with whom would forgiveness release you from reliving the past?

How would taking this courageous step help you move forward to live a more satisfying life?

“Forgiveness is the ultimate weight loss.”

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“Forgiveness is the ultimate weight loss.”

—Jon Gordon, bestselling author and keynote speaker

Image from Unsplash by Diana Polekhina

Each year approximately 45 million Americans are on a diet.

Losing those extra pounds and keeping them off produces untold suffering and angst among so many.

Beyond the physical weight so many of us carry, psychological burdens not related to calorie count and physical activity are also prevalent.

Anger and resentment in our relationships can build up year after year, weighing us down emotionally.

Lightening this load takes a different kind of effort with forgiveness being a key to unlocking many of the chains that hold us down.

EXERCISE:

In what areas of life would an extra helping of forgiveness aid you in losing much of the emotional weight you carry?

What are some of the first steps you can and will take to lighten your load?

 We aim to be generous, kind and compassionate

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We aim to be generous, kind and compassionate. Being human means that sometimes our intentions often miss the mark.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Norbert Braun

For the past several years, many people — including me — have been looking inward at our lives. Being knocked off balance by a variety of factors has made us more mindful and aware of our place in the world, and has caused us to pursue greater meaning and purpose.

It has been quite gratifying to see countless acts of compassion, generosity, and kindness in my communities and throughout the world. I’ve done better, but not always my best, at exercising these attributes.

In such cases, forgiveness and the resolve to keep trying are noteworthy ways to express our best human intentions.

EXERCISE:

Where have your generous, kind, and compassionate efforts missed the mark?

Where would forgiveness and giving things another go help you fulfill more of your best intentions?

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting

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“Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.”

—William Arthur Ward, 20th Century inspirational author

Image from Unsplash by Lina Trochez

Many people are suffering these days. Without question, life comes with ups and downs, making our journeys bumpy and filled with twists and turns.

Forgiveness is a quality we admire and appreciate in people we respect and wish to emulate. Many of us find forgiveness quite difficult to express on a consistent basis despite the fact that it truly “warms the heart and cools the sting.”

What is it in our wiring that can make forgiving others and even forgiving ourselves so difficult?

EXERCISE:

How often do you make yourself and others wrong for their mistakes, shortcomings, and acts that hurt others?

What would be the value of finding greater compassion, empathy, and forgiveness within yourself to travel life’s road a bit more smoothly?

“Forgive them even if they’re not sorry.”

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“Forgive them even if they’re not sorry.”

-Julian Casablancas, lyricist (from the song “11th Dimension”)

Photo from westerngreatlakesdistrict.org

Photo from westerngreatlakesdistrict.org

Perhaps no single human trait causes more damage than the fundamental need most of us have to be right.

When we assume this stance and other have an alternative point of view, they are, of course, wrong.

This vicious cycle often causes both parties to do and say things that are hurtful and often damaging.

Look at your own professional or personal worlds to examine where you see yourself inside this cycle. Notice how long it has been occurring, and just how much time and attention it takes from your days—time which could be spent far more enjoyably and productively.

EXERCISE:

How would the practice of forgiveness—even if those who have hurt you are not sorry —take the additional burden of these events off your shoulders? How would that help you lead a lighter and more fulfilling life?