When a person mistreats you, when someone shatters your heart to pieces and damages your soul, when someone destroys your dreams and hopes of a better future… you should know how to react to this pain so that its effects won’t damage your health and sanity.
Maybe you were neglected as a child. Maybe your other half cheated on you. Maybe your most trusted friend betrayed you. Maybe your co-workers mistreated you.
The pain still lingers on. And that is because our brains are wired to sustain memories based on particular situations we’ve experienced. That is the reason why feeling pain, loneliness, fear, and depression can feel like an eternity.
If you wish to recover and let go of all the negativity, the first thing you must do is learn forgiveness.
Forgive others and forgive yourself for letting them hurt you.
Sure, this may be easier said than done, but as long as you put your mind to it anything is possible. The power of forgiveness is limitless. But keep in mind that forgiving does not necessarily mean forgetting what someone did to you. It means smartly letting go of the desire to take revenge on those who hurt you. It is a choice you make consciously.
And once you choose to forgive them, follow these simple steps to follow through:
1. Accept that forgiveness is necessary
To forgive a person, first, you need to feel it in your heart. You need to accept that forgiving is the only possible solution if you wish for your wounds to heal.
2. Choose forgiveness
You cannot push yourself into forgiveness nor force someone else to forgive you. It is a choice that must be made consciously. You must truly want it.
3. Create a list
Create a list for all the people who have hurt you. Then, arrange the list putting those who hurt you the most on top of it. After that, start forgiving the people at the bottom and go all the way up till you reach the end. Be sure to go through all the emotions that have to lead you to this situation and let them go one by one.
4. Recognize the anger
Holding a blind eye to the burning anger in you is one of the most self-harming things you can do. If you wish to recover, it is crucial for you to extinguish all the anger that is nested in you. Feel the pain. Bring forth all the negativity you have bottled inside you and allow yourself to feel it.
5. Consider how the other person feels
We are all human beings, and we all make mistakes. Someone causing you pain does not automatically make them an evil person. Try putting yourself in their situation and think about both sides of the story
6. Heal your soul
Forgiving others will teach you how to heal your inner being that has been roughened up by the wounds of your past.
7. Reflect on the experience
Reflect on the lessons you learned while you were in pain and how far forgiveness has helped you go.
Repeat these steps until you free yourself from all negativity.
Were these tips helpful to you? Let us know by joining the conversation in the comments and please share this article if you’ve enjoyed the read.