Forgiveness In School

vs. bitterness

Releasing feelings of resentment

To practice Forgiveness, I will:

be quick to forgive
apologize and ask for forgiveness
let go of hurts
not seek revenge
respond kindly to those who hurt me

Forgiveness and Mental Health

by Sandra Szczygiel, LPCC-S (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor)

Forgiveness is essential to good mental health. All of us are hurt by someone at some point in our lives, be it physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Without forgiveness, we can be overtaken with resentment, bitterness, anger, and self-pity. Our bodies will eventually be impacted as well, even to the point of death.

There are seven basic steps to forgiveness. These include acknowledging the hurt, expressing the emotions associated with the hurt, empathizing with the offender, making the decision to forgive, learning from the hurtful experience, rebuilding trust, and moving forward after forgiving. These steps can be very challenging, and the amount of time needed to go through them is very individualized. Unfortunately, some people never make it through all the steps.

A quote attributed to Maya Angelou, who had a tremendous amount of hurt in her life, encapsulates the rewards of forgiveness: “It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.” My favorite quote, however, is one by Dr. Steve Maraboli: “Forgiveness is a reflection of loving yourself enough to move on.”

References: Mayo Clinic.org, ; eNotAlone – Paula Thompson