Are you hurt by someone and finding it difficult to forgive the person? Then, this blog is for you. In life, all of us, without exception, go through instances where we are cheated, hurt, or treated with injustice. It can happen in the workplace or personal relationships, or with friends. When these instances happen, we are shattered and find it hard to come to terms with the situation and people who caused pain. These instances hurt us badly, and we struggle to move beyond them. Some of us carry these hurt feelings for a long time, and we can never forgive the person who hurt us. But all the saints, religions, and scriptures tell us to forgive.
Forgiveness: A Timeless Virtue
Forgiveness is an age-old concept, and it is part of every religion and spiritual path. Practicing forgiveness is considered a virtue. It’s never easy to forgive the people who hurt us. It takes days, months, years, or even a lifetime to forgive. Then, why do saints suggest we forgive? In this blog, I will be sharing with you 7 reasons as to why we need to forgive others no matter what they have done to us.
Before going through the reasons, I want to say that forgiving others is not a sign of weakness. It is strength. In fact, it needs a tremendous amount of emotional and mental strength to forgive. To be able to forgive is a sign of a strong person. And how do you know that you have forgiven? When you think of the person or situation that caused you pain in the past, if you can stay neutral without feeling anger, sadness, or regret, then it’s a sign that you have forgiven. Your emotions can tell you whether you have forgiven someone or not.
7 Reasons Why Forgiveness is Essential for a Peaceful Life
1. Health: Healing from Within
When we don’t forgive the other person, we carry resentment, anger, and hatred. These negative emotions trigger flight or fight responses in the body, and in the long run, this leads to increased blood pressure, poor digestion, loss of fertility, reduced immunity, and many more health issues. Health is wealth, and any disease causes great suffering. Why should we lose our health because of the other person? So, it makes sense to forgive and move on.
2. Peace of mind: Unlocking Serenity
We all want to lead a peaceful life. But when we are thinking again and again about the hurt and pain we experienced, our peace of mind will be lost, and we struggle mentally. We become grumpy and frustrated. Peace of mind is important, and it’s not worth losing it. Forgiveness brings peace of mind. Hence, saints teach us to forgive others.
3. Present moment: Freeing Ourselves from the Past
Life happens in the present moment, and this is all that we have. Lack of forgiveness can make us live in the past, where we repeatedly think about the loss we experienced. We are stuck in the past, and because of this, we miss the present moment and the new opportunities that come along with it. We miss life. If we want to relish the present moment, we need to forgive and move on.
4. Productivity Unleashed: Empowering Your Pursuits
Superior productivity comes with a sharp and peaceful mind. We can achieve more in less time with a focused mind. Lack of forgiveness can make us become distracted and emotionally depleted. Our energy gets drained, the focus goes for a toss, and productivity comes down. This loss of productivity can impact career and work. Hence, it is important to forgive.
5. Nurturing Relationships: The Key Role of Forgiveness
Mistakes happen in relationships because we are humans and we are imperfect. But if we don’t forgive the other person and keep carrying the resentment, the quality of relationships comes down. Friction happens, and the relationship can become a drag. So, it is better to forgive the mistakes of the other person. Forgiveness is important for happy relationships.
6. Sweet Dreams: Sleep Quality and Forgiveness
A good quality sleep is necessary for good health and youthfulness. During sleep, the body goes through the process of repair and rejuvenation. The inability to forgive makes it difficult to have a deep sleep. Sleep becomes disturbed, or one can even go through insomnia. This causes restlessness, irritation, health issues, and aging. Forgiveness helps us sleep better and peacefully. Hence, we need to forgive.
7. Pursuing Dreams: Fuelling Success with Forgiveness
It needs energy, commitment, and hard work to achieve our goals. But when we are entangled in forgiveness issues, we will not be able to find the energy and focus on working on our goals. It becomes difficult to focus on the things that matter to us. Hence, it is important to forgive and move on.
Conclusion: Forgive and Flourish – The Path to a Peaceful Life
Sometimes, though we know the importance of forgiveness, we still struggle to practice it because our emotions overpower logic. Meditation helps greatly in such a scenario. Meditation helps us build detachment, emotional stability, and mental strength. Meditate regularly, and gradually, your ability to forgive others improves.
Forgiveness is practiced by strong and smart people because they understand that it’s a waste of time and energy to hold grudges. It does not matter what the other person has done. For our own happiness, health, and peace of mind, we need to forgive. Forgiveness does not mean we hug the people who hurt us. It just means that we are willing to let go of the need to take revenge. Forgiveness means we are ready to move forward beyond the hurt caused.
Remember, “To err is human and to forgive is divine.” Let’s all try our best to forgive others and lead a peaceful life because forgiveness is a smart thing to do.