Alester Brown

How Forgiving Others Benefits You

Forgiving someone who wronged you is easier said than done. When a person you care about causes you pain, the instinct of many is to cut them out and hold onto a grudge. It's a form of protection, but it may cause more harm in the long wrong.

Forgiveness is about letting go of resentment and anger. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to "forgive and forget." Releasing those dark feelings doesn't excuse the harmful behavior but can bring peace.

Releasing a Nagging Source of Stress

When you go to counseling for forgiveness, you're taking active steps towards bettering your emotional and physical health. You may be wary of the person you forgive moving forward, but releasing that resentment lifts a burden off your shoulders. It helps you avoid stress and improve your mental health. Ultimately, that's the healthiest thing you can do.

Holding onto grudges is like having a demon on your back. Every encounter with that person becomes painful, and you cannot move on. Forgiveness is the solution. Whether you continue to let that person in your life or not, forgiveness benefits you and your well-being.

Mending Broken Relationships

Another reason to consider the route of forgiveness is to give your relationship another chance. Many people develop an unhealthy habit of cutting people out of their lives at every fault. But you have to remember that no one is perfect. Latching onto old mistakes and indiscretions will leave you with few healthy relationships.

Think of forgiveness as a second chance. When you go to counseling for forgiveness, you'll learn new ways to approach those challenging situations and pave a more positive path forward. You can't work on the issues between you and the person who wronged you if you don't take that first step. Forgiving them leaves the door open to honest, heartfelt discussions.

It's an opportunity to air your grievances, gain a mutual understanding of the situation, and repair the broken bonds. Things might not be the same between you, but forgiveness is a spark of hope that you can rebuild the trust you once had.

Author Resource:-

Alester Brown writes about physiotherapy. She advises people on health care, online therapy, anxiety discussion groups & depression message boards. You can find her thoughts at depression guide blog.