If we truly want a happier life and more peace in the world, we must learn to forgive.

Forgiveness is the most precious treasure that we can give ourselves. When we are willing to forgive, we are guaranteed a life of peace, gratitude, wisdom, expansion and growth. If not, we are destined to a life of blame, resentment, pain, self-pity, guilt and anger.

To be happy, we must learn to forgive ourselves first.

Each time we beat ourselves up for mistakes or bad choices we have made in the past, we stay trapped in a shell of toxic shame and self–abuse.

Somehow we think we deserve this. Maybe we were told we were bad as a child by a parent or teacher and part of us still believes this. We believe that punishing ourselves will make us a better person or a more humble person.

But this lie will never make us a better person. It will only keep us prisoner to the shame we continue to carry. Whether in the privacy of our own minds or out loud for all to hear, each time that we criticize ourselves for our own faults and mistakes, we are participating in our own self-abuse. We are telling ourselves we are bad. We, in fact, become our worst enemies.
If what we desire is a love-filled life, we must first learn to love ourselves.This begins with self-forgiveness.

To find inner peace, we must learn to forgive others.

Our resentments toward others hold onto us like a ball and chain, keeping us prisoner to our anger and to the person that we are so angry toward. We think we will show them by continuing to make them suffer, but we are the ones who are truly suffering!

Teacher Debbie Ford, says, “Although forgiveness often looks like a generous gift we are giving to someone else, it is ultimately an act of self-love and a gift we give to ourselves.”

Without forgiveness, we continue to try and prove that we are right and ‘they’ are wrong. Our righteous attitude keeps us locked up in our own misery. We find a sick kind of comfort in this.

It’s important to remember that the power of forgiveness does not require that we agree with, condone, excuse or tolerate abuse or bad behavior. Instead, forgiveness is about not allowing their bad behavior to hurt us anymore.

True forgiveness allows us to stop being victims and helps us to step into our power and authority so that we will not make the same mistakes again.

By forgiving others, we do not become doormats for them to wipe their feet upon. It is important to learn from each experience and create and set strong boundaries for those who would continue to try to take advantage of us.

If you want more peace and love in this world it begins with you. As more and more of us take responsibility for loving and forgiving ourselves and others, the world will become a more forgiving, loving and peaceful place.

By forgiving, we set ourselves free.