You’ve been hurt, betrayed, abused. Someone has wronged you in a terrible way. They told you terrible things, or they were not there for you when you needed them. They ignored you. They used you. They caused you a lot of pain that seemed unforgivable.
The natural response is anger, bitterness, even vengeance. You want them to pay for what they did. Holding onto all that anger feels good in the moment. But it’ll only make you feel worse over time. All that negativity eats away at you from the inside. It ruins your happiness and peace of mind.
There’s a better way, though – forgiveness. I know, forgiving someone who hurt you badly is so hard. But you’ll feel so much freer after. Hanging onto anger is like drinking poison and thinking it’ll hurt them. It might feel good at first, but you’re really just hurting yourself in the end.
Forgiveness isn’t about being weak. It’s actually a sign of real strength.
The Power of Forgiveness
Let me start by saying that holding onto anger is just so exhausting. Don’t you think it’s better to just let things go and move on with your life? What good is it really doing to stay stuck in the past and keep replaying things over and over in your head? That’s no way to live.
It’s not about saying what they did was okay. It’s about choosing not to let it control you anymore. When you forgive someone, you’re setting yourself free. You stop dwelling on the hurt and can start focusing on happier things.
Think of it like paying off a debt. Every day, you’re stressed about how you’ll ever settle up. But as soon as it’s done, what a relief! You don’t have to think about it constantly anymore. Forgiveness works the same way. Let it go, and you’ll feel lighter. No more playing the “what if” game in your head.
You’re only doing it for yourself. No one wants to feel angry and upset all the time when they don’t have to. Forgiveness allows you to truly move on and be at peace. Why keep punishing yourself?
Forgiveness takes time, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Give it a few weeks or even months to process everything. If you need to let it out, go scream in the woods or hit the gym to burn off that anger. When you feel ready, that’s when you can forgive them. But there’s no rush – do what you need to do for yourself first.
What Goes Around Comes Around
Forgiveness is about letting go of anger and resentment for your own well-being. When you forgive someone, it doesn’t necessarily mean you forget what happened. In fact, I think you can never forget. Forgiveness and forgetting are two different things. But if you decide to forgive, how does karma play a role?
Karma is the idea that what goes around comes around. If you do nice things for people, nice things will come back to you eventually. And if you do bad things, well, you can probably guess that bad things will come your way.
Now, if you haven’t forgiven someone yet, it doesn’t mean karma will punish you. Not at all. Actually, when you hold onto anger, it’s like karma is paused or not working. So to get karma going again, you need to forgive and let go.
For example, let’s say you were always there for a friend when they needed help or support. But they never seemed to be there for you and even ignored you sometimes. It started to really hurt your feelings. But instead of cutting them off, you decided to send them a message to tell them how you felt. Your friend responds by saying you’re being childish or that there’s something wrong with you. Or maybe they don’t even respond at all. You helped them so much, but they never helped you.
Instead of staying mad, write them a letter but don’t send it. Write that you forgive them and then put the letter away somewhere, or even just forgive them in your head during meditation.
Once you’ve let it go, observe them from a distance. They may realize how they treated you and apologize. Sometimes, it could take weeks, months, or even years, though. Or things might start going differently for them. But more importantly, you’ll feel free and can open your heart to better friends who will support you, too. Karma won’t just affect them, it will also reward you in a positive way.
You’re Doing It For Yourself
When someone you care about hurts you, whether it’s a partner, friend or even family, it can really hurt. But you know what I’ve found? Holding onto that anger and hurt is like carrying around a heavy weight with you everywhere. It drags you down and prevents you from living life to the fullest.
The best thing you can do is try to forgive them, even if they don’t ask for it or want it. I know that’s not easy. But when you forgive, it allows you to let go of that weight and feel free again. And you don’t have to keep that person in your life either. Forgiving is really for your benefit, not theirs.
Also, if they were really wrong to you, karma will probably catch up to them at some point. But that’s not for you to worry about. The most important thing is forgiving others and also learning to forgive yourself. We’re all human and make mistakes.
