Asking for, Offering, and Receiving Forgiveness

SHOW NOTES:

On this show…we are laying our cards on the table and summoning the courage to ask, offer, and receive forgiveness. It might sound simple but far from it. Guaranteed you’ve got some sort of shame or guilt stowing away in the baggage you’ve been dragging around for decades. Maybe you haven't come to terms with it or you’ve convinced yourself with faulty justification just to get by, but it’s there. Well today, with your permission, we are going to unpack it with the attempts to sort it out. Forgiveness is multifaceted which is why we are looking at the concept from multiple angles. Asking for it when needed, learning to forgive yourself, extending that offer to others, and then benefiting from receiving said forgiveness. All equals freedom in one form or the other. First, you have to be open and willing to accept responsibility for your own actions and be self-aware enough to realize what you are holding on to or refusing to ask for, could be making all the difference. 

I’m not one to hold a grudge. Primarily because I hate tension, literally loath confrontation. I also don’t like to be in a bad mood. I’m not a brooder, a worrywart, or a nervous Nelly. I love calm consistent joy with a sprinkling of anticipation and a dash of drive. That’s where I feel most comfortable. Because of that, I do what it takes to get over it…for the most part. 

Where I struggle most is with self-forgiveness. Most of us tend to hold ourselves to a much higher standard than we do others so with that comes harsh judgment and an unwillingness to forget let alone forgive. What does that look like on a face? Maybe nothing if you are good at hiding your deepest feelings. This means a sunny disposition can be hiding a darker storm so just be aware. You can not judge a person by what you see. We all have had trials and tribulations throughout our lives which are far from over. You might be good at compartmentalizing but others may not. So our reactions and how we work through each incident of struggle and strife make the way for what lies ahead. 

Why is self-forgiveness so hard? Why are we so quick to let someone else off the hook; to swiftly lower their expectations but our own are kept to the highest standards with no second chances? I don’t know. Have you ever asked yourself that? Have you ever had an in-depth conversation through a personal deep dive on yourself? 

Dr. Stephen Marmer enlightens us with more about Forgiveness found at PragerU.com

Eight Keys to Forgiveness

Forgiveness can be incredibly difficult. Robert Enright explains where to start in his article for greatergood.com

The Mayo Clinic shares: Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness

Kendra Cherry leads the way with Taking the Steps to Forgive Yourself in her article for verywellmind.com

 

CHALLENGE: let go of resentment and lower your defenses. Be willing to re-examine your role, forgive yourself for the part you played, offer the same to others, and receive the freedom to move forward. You hold the key!

 

I Know YOU Can Do It!