About This Practice
Self-forgiveness begins with your willingness to be compassionate toward yourself and to recognize that guilt is a heavy and often needless burden to carry. Research has shown that those who practice self-forgiveness have better mental and emotional well-being, more positive attitudes, and healthier relationships. In this practice, take a break from self-blame to improve your productivity, focus, and concentration.
Steps
Take inventory
Take inventory of things you continue to hold against yourself or beat yourself up about. Then select just one thing that you’re willing to release. Start by noticing your resistance to forgiving yourself.
Feel the freedom
Reflecting on the one instance you selected for practicing forgiveness, take five minutes to imagine how it might feel in your heart and body if you truly felt forgiven and freed of this burden.
Find the lesson
It is human to make mistakes. The only fatal error is to refuse to learn from the mistake. Consider what lesson you’ve gained from your mistake. Consider what you can do to take responsibility to rectify your past mistake with honor and self-respect, and then put it into action.
Set yourself free
Once you’ve taken responsibility for your mistake or wrongdoing, you can accept that you’ve done all you can. It’s time to set yourself free. It can help to repeat the words: “I forgive myself. I set myself free to show up in better, more loving ways.”