To Forgive or Not To Forgive: THAT is the Question...

“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” - Mark Twain
Forgiving others and even ourselves isn’t always easy. Let’s face it, sh*t happens in life— whether we can control it or not. Sometimes, it may be difficult to move on, forward, and let go.
BE KIND TO YOUR MIND
The average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day; 80% of these thoughts are negative and 95% are repetitive.
We also tend to critique and be harder on ourselves when responding to situations compared to how we would respond to a group of friends. It’s like how that saying goes, “it’s easier to give advice than to take it”. It is harder to help ourselves because our judgment may be more clouded and biased.
SOME WAYS TO HELP AND FORGIVE YOURSELF (AND OTHERS)
- FIND THE SILVER LINING: Although it may be hard to see, negative situations or experiences have a positive to them that you can take and learn from. Thinking of it as lesson rather than a mistake can be empowering; highlighting how strong and resilient you truly are and have become from it.
- PRACTICE SELF COMPASSION: Being unforgiving towards yourself or another takes a lot of energy and time. It is also draining and you deserve to be happy and to let go of that burden. Free yourself and hone in that energy and time into areas that matter most to you. There is so much you have to offer!
- POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS AND SELF TALK: Try rewiring your brain and turn more of those thoughts into positive ones. Every morning, it can be beneficial to come up with a routine after you wake up. Look that pretty face in the mirror, drink some water [hydration, queens!], and say aloud to yourself, “I am a winner, strong and today is my day”. Repeating this everyday helps deprogram and counter any negative thoughts through out the day.
- TRY A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE: Just like there is another side to a coin, there is always another side or perspective to a situation. For example, if you happen to miss your train on the way home from work, instead of becoming frustrated and blaming yourself, change it up and tell yourself that maybe you were ‘meant’ to miss it for some reason. Everything happens for a reason even though we may not understand in that exact moment.
Remember self-compassion and forgiveness go hand in hand. The more you do this for yourself, the more you will be prone to doing for others. No one is perfect and sometimes people lack self-awareness and may not intend to be hurtful towards you. Try giving people and yourself the benefit of the doubt and walk with your heart open and full.
It’s time to lift that heavy weight off, forgive, and move forward. Do it for you. You have the power to be and do anything. We hope you always choose forgiveness!
OKAY, OKAY! WE FORGIVE YOU IF YOU HAVEN’T TRIED OUR ROSEMARY MINT BATH SALT YET.
(But promise us you will give it a try because we know you will love it 😌)