I often say to people who want to develop that they need to forgive everyone who has hurt them in the past to let go of the emotional burden they have been carrying for years. Sometimes their first reaction is negative. They believe that forgiving them is like accepting what hurt them.

But the truth is very different. You don’t forgive those who hurt you because they deserve forgiveness∙ you forgive them because you don’t want to hurt yourself and suffer every time you recall what they have done to you. You forgive them to heal yourself. Forgiveness is an act of self-love. When we were kids we used to forgive effortlessly and naturally because the ability to forgive is inherent. As we grow up we learn the opposite behavior and we act on it. In particular, our sense of honour makes us magnify whatever hurt us so as to be unable to forgive. But when you forgive someone who hurt you, you take your power back and you are happier.

Make a good start by taking the following 4 easy steps:

1. Make a list of all the people you need to forgive. In each case you need to consider that they didn’t intend to hurt you∙ it was just their current level of consciousness which lead them to their actions. It is common that people act in an unconscious way trying to avoid getting hurt.
2. Use a punching bag or a pillow you can hit with all your strength thinking of the person who hurt you. When we let go of our negative emotions in a practical way using our body we get more direct results.
3. Write a letter to all the people who have hurt you mentioning only whatever you would like to tell them. Read it as if they were listening to you and write down the answer you would ideally like to hear.
4. Implant in your mind that these people have their own programming and understand love differently. They may have acted on fear without being able to realize what caused them to behave in a way to inflict you pain.

If you meet or think of a person who has hurt you and you no longer feel anything about them, you should know that you’ve made it and you’ve forgiven them. It’s worth it!!! Try it!!!