Leave the Past in 2024: The Importance of Forgiveness for Your Mental Health
As you take stock of the past year, have you noticed the emotional baggage that has been weighing you down- old hurts, anger, unresolved conflicts, long held resentments, and thoughts of revenge? Do you need to forgive someone for the hurt they caused or perhaps yourself? Forgiveness is a two-way street; it benefits the forgiver and the forgiven. Let’s take a look at the role of forgiveness, how to release pent up emotional burdens, and how it fosters inner peace.
Exploring the Role of Forgiveness
Have you ever been told to just forgive and forget? Real forgiveness is not about overlooking a wrong or even forgetting that it happened. Forgiveness is practiced with self-awareness and empathy. It is a minute-by-minute conscious decision to let go of the negative emotions associated with the hurt that keep drawing us back to the past.
What do we get in return when we practice forgiveness? According to research, we can lower our anxiety, depression, and stress levels. In addition, our mental health improves, we have healthier relationships, and greater resilience.
Releasing Emotional Burdens
Emotional burdens will not go away by stuffing them deep down in the psyche and pretending they do not exist; this only compounds the problem. Releasing them is a three-fold process: acknowledging the hurt, processing it, and a daily decision of who or what controls your life- you or the pain.
Practical tools for releasing emotional burdens include journaling, mindfulness, and therapy. Writing down your feelings or talking with a counselor can help you gain clarity and perspective. Practicing mindfulness with meditation or deep breathing lets you observe your emotions with a nonjudgemental attitude, so you do not become overwhelmed by them. Using techniques such as these can create the necessary space for forgiveness and emotional healing. Lastly, discussing the pain with a therapist can bring a new perspective that allows you to release the anger, hurt, disappointment of others and focus back on what you have control over,…you!
Fostering Inner Peace
Inner peace is a deep state of calm, acceptance, and contentment which brings harmony with yourself and with others despite life’s challenges. This state of being allows you to move through challenges with tranquility and acceptance. Forgiveness is a cornerstone of inner peace because it lets you release the emotional burdens holding you down and creates an opportunity to focus on what really matters. Forgiveness not only frees the person who wronged you; it liberates you. With liberation comes gratitude, joy, and a deeper connection with self and humanity.
Letting Go for a Brighter Tomorrow
Are you ready to leave the emotional burdens of the past behind? Practicing forgiveness could be the most precious gift you give yourself in 2025. It is the gift that creates space for personal growth and new opportunities. Let 2025 be the year you choose healing, freedom, and peace. If you are ready, we are here to help.
Written by Rhonda Gates, LPC Associate; Supervised by Jenai Tidwell, LPC Supervisor
