We learn from a young age to say sorry to the people we’ve hurt or have been unkind to, but when did we learn to say sorry to and forgive ourselves? The focus has always been on others, and rarely on yourself. To be honest, you are the most important person in your life, so why do we choose to not forgive ourselves when we have messed up? Too many of us spiral down a pattern of mentally chastising ourselves for our mistakes. If this sounds like you, keep reading to realize why it’s time to start forgiving yourself.
Growth
Learning to forgive yourself helps you grow as a person. Every time you forgive yourself, it’s like you are telling yourself that it’s okay and you are not perfect, and that’s exactly the case. You are going to make mistakes; we all will, but how you forgive yourself from those mistakes can really shape the person who you are meant to be.
Emotional Release
Others might forgive you, but if you can’t extend the same courtesy to yourself, your nervous system won’t forgive you either. If we can’t forgive the things we have done, we can become angry and anxious. Always knocking yourself down or wondering when you are going to mess up next can take a serious toll on your emotional health.
Moving on
When we don’t forgive ourselves, we are holding onto whatever that reason may be, and if we are doing that then we are not moving on. We are staying in the past while life is passing us by. Not moving on drags us down, until we are in an endless cycle of anxiety and stress. Nobody deserves that. You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again; everyone makes mistakes. Forgive, learn from it, and move on.
Of course, all of this is easier said than done. Just have patience with yourself, and during this learning process, forgive yourself as well. Look back on why you need to make forgiving yourself a healthy habit when you are struggling.
Feeling like you need to figure out how to introduce other healthy habits into your life? Check out this blog post too, Developing Positive Habits for the Future.
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