The past can be such a powerful thing if you allow it to be. Our past experiences can have such a tight grip on our self-worth, life’s purpose, and confidence if you allow them to.

That’s right you have a choice to allow it to rule your present and future decisions and life OR you can FORGIVE yourself and the circumstances that are surrounding all of the painful experiences of the past. The choice is yours. 

It’s not necessarily an easy choice but the important decisions usually aren’t.

I recently watched a clip from Oprah’s LifeClass about true forgiveness and that once given you are finally free. She gave a quote about forgiveness and the definition of what it is that she learned from a guest on her show,  it’s very powerful for me that I want to share with you.

“Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different.” 

If we can choose and decide to forgive others because we are kind souls that have the ability to forgive, then we must also practice this forgiveness within ourselves. We should be treating ourselves with the kindest energy of love and forgiveness that we have available to the world but we generally don’t reserve this for ourselves, ever.

We give love and forgiveness to those around us, our family, friends, and even complete strangers but we remain so hard on and angered at ourselves so much so that it becomes detrimental to our health, happiness and growth into our purpose and the you that you’re meant to be.

What if you’ve forgiven you but your partner, family, friends haven’t? That sure makes moving forward into the future you know you want for yourself and those around you doesn’t it. 

This is a challenge from the universe in my eyes, a chance for you to prove that you are committed to making a change for yourself and to be free from your past mistakes and negative experiences. You’ve forgiven yourself and the situations, know that they are part of your story, know that they and the feelings they caused you to feel have shaped you into the person that you’ve become today as well as who you’re meant to become next on your journey.

You can choose to forgive your naysayer(s) or not but you will reach your inner peace around this sooner, be freer and more confident to choose the next growth steps on your journey, and truly live the life that you know that you’re meant to live if you choose forgiveness.