One of the most beneficial things you can do for your emotional well-being is to forgive. Forgive everyone who has ever hurt you, let you down, ripped you off, and anyone you perceive as the “enemy.”
Why? Because holding on to resentment toward someone drains your energy, slows progress and spiritual growth, and makes your life more stressful. Forgiveness won’t let your guard down, make you too vulnerable, or allow the troublemaker to keep hurting you if you don’t want to. In fact, it will make you stronger and possibly even protect you from further damage.
Below are 10 tips to help you forgive and let go.
1) It is important to note that forgiveness is a process. It doesn’t usually happen overnight. Commit to it and eventually the negative feelings will fade.
2) If you are having trouble forgiving someone, try the following exercise. Meditate on the situation and the person and visualize them in front of you. Explain why you’re upset, and then tell them you forgive them. Observe the reaction you perceive them to have. Do this until you can feel your forgiveness, and remember that it is not for them, but for you. Every time you think of the person, express forgiveness.
3) Try to see the situation from his point of view and consider all the possible reasons why he acted as he did (such as childhood experiences, lack of awareness, emotional or mental instability, neurosis, possession, etc.). Try to feel compassion for them, although at first it may seem easier to turn water into wine.
4) Accept that whatever has happened may be something you think, karmicly, spiritually, experience. Take responsibility for your part of what “happened to you.”
5) Realize that if you don’t forgive them, guess who you’ll go back to in an afterlife for another round? That should help you let go of resentment more quickly.
6) Realize that they will eventually get their due, even if it doesn’t seem that way to you. Our findings indicate that karma often does not come back to someone until future lives. By the way, you don’t have to and you shouldn’t try to help this process. If you do, you will create more negative karma for yourself. Revenge without apparent consequences may have been a popular theme on the ’80s show Dynasty, but unlike TV-land, revenge carries a high spiritual price in the real world.
7) Life is demanding. Instead of lashing out at someone with animosity and creating more tension and trauma, try other activities like meditation, exercise, watching funny movies, or doing something nice for someone. Cheer up and let it go. Life is too magnificent to waste it being angry.
8) Forgive, but don’t forget. Be compassionate, but stand firm.
9) Remember to forgive yourself. It’s amazing how many people have managed to forgive others, but haven’t found the self-love to forgive themselves.
10) Go through the following list and forgive everyone. Feel the forgiveness. Express forgiveness. Remember, it’s not for them. This is for you.
We recommend that you forgive your parents for ignoring or smothering you; your mom for embarrassing you; brothers for being too hard on you; and your sister for flirting with your high school boyfriend.
Also forgive that co-worker who creates conflict; office gossip; the office opportunist; the office traitor; bosses who took advantage of his loyalty; the guy who fired you; the girl who didn’t hire you; nosy neighbors; neighbors for violating their right to peace and quiet; your neighbor’s dog for shitting in your yard; relative for making your life hell; your hateful aunt; your funny but annoying uncle; the father of your first girlfriend; your former lovers; the date with the person who stood you up; and the date that slandered your good reputation.
While you’re at it, forgive the extreme liberals; those who refuse to separate Church and State; Christians; Muslims; politicians who are fiscally irresponsible; extreme conservatives; anyone who discriminates based on sexual orientation; anyone who discriminates on the basis of race; any person who discriminates on the grounds of nationality; republicans; Democrats; God, for laughing when you announce your plans; your higher self for being so bold on the other side; dark entities: they dislike, they are disgusted by forgiveness; and hell, for trying to bring you down.
Let’s also forgive the Wall Street swindlers; United States Congress; big government; reckless government; Bin Laden; CNN News; FoxNews; CNBC News; ABC News; CBS news; MSNBC news; biased media reporting; dishonest media; biased reporters who have a political agenda; Katie Couric; Sarah Palin; Barack Obama; terrorists; corrupt politicians; gang members; Barney Frank; Al Gore; radical environmentalists; eco-terrorists; polluters; Chris Dodd; ChrisCox; Bernie Madoff; George W. Bush; Hillary Clinton; Rush Limbaugh; BillClinton; classmates from high school and elementary school; the economically ignorant; advocates of wealth destruction; the teacher who embarrassed you; the stock market; wealthy people; Poor people; Mafia; hypocritical fanatics; and advocates of affirmative action.
It will make you feel much better if you forgive all of the following: ignorant people; intolerant people; critical people; jealous people; critical people; homosexual; Bis; straight; black; White clothes; Asians; Latinos; American natives; indians; Chinese; Japanese; Thais; Middle Easterners; Russians; Canadians; s.
American people; C. Americans; Africans; South Africans; Europeans; stingy people; spendthrifts; animals; teachers; priests; ministers; nuns; players; alcoholics; smokers; people throwing cigarette butts out of their cars; and drug addicts.
Also remember to forgive loudmouths; the woman who talks too loud on her cell phone; the guy behind you on that flight who wouldn’t shut up; bodies; cop killers; those who disrespect military personnel; those who hate Americans; criminals; and finally, yourself.
That’s a lot to forgive, and we’re sure you can think of others you could forgive. But you can do it, and think how much more energy you’ll have to make the most of your life after you do it.
“Always forgive your enemies – Nothing bothers them so much.” -Pamela Daranjo
Copyright © 2009 Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo
