Finding Forgiveness by Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes

Hey, it’s Amy Newmark with your Chicken Soup for the Soul and I’m pleased to share new stories with you from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Let It Go, which is our latest best-selling self-help book. You know, I always thought that the word “forgiveness” meant that you were excusing the person who hurt you, saying that it was okay. But it turns out that “forgiveness” doesn’t mean that. What it actually means is that you have decided not to keep reliving all the negative feelings associated with whatever bad thing happened to you. You acknowledge that the bad thing happened, but you decide to stop having those same negative feelings over and over again. Forgiveness also means understanding WHY something happened. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve realized that something bad that someone did to me wasn’t about me at all. It was about something else going on in that person’s life and there was no deliberate intent to hurt specifically me. When you learn not to take those bad things personally, and understand where those actions are coming from, it’s much easier to move on and not carry any resentment forward with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices