Forgiving Yourself

Forgiving yourself for moving through the world to please others can release guilt around self-care. This allows us to embrace personal growth by acknowledging improved awareness and permitting better choices.

Forgiveness permits us to set appropriate boundaries on how we are willing to be treated.

Before self-love becomes liberating, rather than feeling like a burden there are often lots of things we have to work through, including forgiveness.

We are often unknowingly angry at ourselves for how we’ve treated ourselves and how we’ve allowed others to treat us. This is not just a physical or mental response. It is a reaction that WE feel responsible for. The first thing we have to do is allow ourselves to feel those feelings.

The anger we harbor towards ourselves is a heavy emotional burden to carry.

Firstly, the anger we often harbor towards ourselves stems from both our actions towards ourselves and how we’ve permitted others to treat us. It’s a heavy emotional baggage, isn’t it? Allowing ourselves to feel these emotions is like acknowledging the elephant in the room; it’s about facing these feelings head-on without shoving them under the rug. It’s acknowledging that these feelings exist and are valid. Its time to leave that baggage at the door.

Allow ourselves to grieve for that loss of time

Secondly, grieving for the time lost is crucial. It’s akin to mourning the moments and opportunities that slipped away while we were tangled in these emotions or situations. It’s recognizing the value of that time and giving ourselves the space to mourn its passing. Sometimes, we need to honor the significance of what we’ve missed to truly move forward.

Integrate lessons is where the growth happens

Now, settling ourselves to integrate lessons from this experience is where the growth happens. It’s like sifting through the wreckage to find hidden treasures. We can’t change the past, but we sure can learn from it. Integrating these lessons is about understanding what went awry, what patterns emerged, and how we can navigate differently in the future. It’s like turning the page in a book – we’re not erasing the previous chapters, but we’re using that knowledge to write a better story ahead.

Loneliness and Isolation are present and we haven’t recognized why.

All things considered, we don’t often realize how detrimental it can be to put others’ needs before our own. It creates loneliness and isolation. Unknowingly, they can creep in during those times of unintentional self-neglect as we put ourselves last, and equally allow ourselves to be put last. We might be uncomfortable navigating how to love and accept ourselves and release the anger around the undoing of the life our unloved self built. This is where self-forgiveness is important.

Finally, loneliness and isolation can often linger unrecognized in the background. They’re like uninvited guests at a party that no one acknowledges. Understanding why they’re present involves peeling back layers. It’s about being open to introspection, exploring our emotions, circumstances, and the roles we play in our relationships. Recognizing the roots of loneliness and isolation allows us to address them effectively, resulting in a more genuine connection with ourselves and others.

Self-love is a lot of work, but with it comes a lot of liberation.

It’s time to embrace self-care and nurturing. Find a class that helps you feel connected and that nurtures your spirit. Consider an art class or a self-care retreat. I do them here in Nova Scotia, you are welcome to check it out here, but find one near you that speaks to your soul.

Self-forgiveness is the key to moving forward.

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Kathleen Bulger

Kathleen Bulger graduated from the Canadian School of Holistic Nutrition in 2017 with her certification as a Holistic Nutritional Consultant, She has had the pleasure of working with hundreds of clients helping them achieve a balanced state of health taking them from exhausted to energized and engaged.