Forgiveness. A word that is not that easy to carry out with just words. A word that has a much deeper meaning than simply saying "Yes, I forgive you." So what does it really mean to forgive?
Let's start with the definition of forgiveness. According to psychologists, generally forgiveness means a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.
Forgiveness offers peace of mind to the forgiver and frees them from destructive anger. Experts agree that it does require the release of long held negative impulses, especially towards the perpetrator. This way, we may acknowledge our pain without letting it define us, allowing us to recover and go on with our lives. Forgiveness does not always mean forgetting, but forgiving means being able to fully let go of all the things and experiences that we went through, accept it, and being able to put a smile over it. Here's when we are able to stand strong on it and move forward to carve out a new story.
According to research, not only are happy individuals more prone to forgive, but forgiving others can also make people happy, especially when they forgive someone close to them such as family members or best friends. Forgiveness can protect our mental health and improve our physical health as well. Our blood pressure and pulse rate rise when we hold grudges, both of which are stress signals that harm our body. As we all know, a joyful heart is a good medicine. Our stress levels reduce when we forgive, and we are protected from the detrimental health impacts of stress. Grudges are also connected to a reduced immune system, making us more susceptible to illness.
Forgiveness does not include dismissing an offense committed against us, according to those who study forgiveness. Forgiveness does not imply forgetting or accepting or excusing wrongdoing. Although forgiveness might help to mend a strained relationship, it does not obligate us to reconcile with the person who has mistreated us or absolve them of their legal responsibility. Another thing to remember is that when we forgive, we should seek peace, not justice. It's possible that individuals who have wronged us will never get their due, but that shouldn't stop us from moving forward.
Forgiveness should be considered as a means of achieving peace, closure, and alleviating suffering. We should start to consider forgiveness as a personal gift rather than a gift to someone else. It is a choice, and we can begin to cultivate it by expressing our emotions. If we want to forgive or be forgiven, we must be willing to explain our feelings to others and to ourselves. Recognize that forgiveness is a process as well as a journey. True forgiveness is a process that takes time and effort to attain.
