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10 ways forgiveness affects us positively

And why you must forgive

By Esther AmiPublished 2 years ago 8 min read
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Photo by Lachlan ross

Forgiveness is a hot topic these days, with many people trying to "let go" of the past and move on with their lives. But what exactly does forgiveness do for us? How can learning to forgive help us live happier and healthier lives? Forgiveness isn't just about forgiving others—it's also about forgiving yourself!

Forgiveness lowers your blood pressure.

Forgiveness is good for your heart, and it’s good for the rest of your body, too. Forgiveness can decrease stress levels by helping you manage anger and frustration more effectively. The reduction in blood pressure that comes from forgiving someone has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and other serious health problems as well as increased longevity overall.

Forgiveness wards off depression.

Forgiveness helps you feel less isolated. When someone does something that hurt you, it's easy to get stuck in your head and wonder why this person would do that to you. The more questions that arise, the less likely it is for you to forgive them. But if instead of focusing on how they wronged you, focus more on how forgiving them will make both of your lives better—and then take action!

You may find yourself feeling isolated from others and unable to connect with people as well. For example, when people are around us who are unforgiving towards us or others who don't seem like they care about the things we care about (like our favorite sports team), we might feel like they're not worth our time or energy; therefore creating a sense of isolation between ourselves and those around us. We become so focused on ourselves that we forget there are other people out there who indeed have feelings just like ours as well--so why not try befriending them?

Forgiveness reduces toxic emotions.

Toxic emotions are those that can be harmful to you, your relationships, and even your health. They're the result of holding onto negative thoughts about the past and refusing to forgive someone for something they did or didn't do. Toxic emotions include anger, resentment, bitterness and hatred. These feelings can cause stress in the body and make people feel depressed or anxious.

Forgiveness is an important part of healing from toxic emotions because it allows us to let go of those feelings so we can move forward with our lives instead of dwelling on what happened in the past. Forgiving someone doesn't mean forgetting what they did—it means choosing not to hold onto resentment any longer than necessary so you don't become bitter yourself over time

Forgiveness relieves stress.

Forgiveness can lower stress levels. When you forgive someone, it lowers your overall stress level because it alleviates the physiological effects of anger and hostility on the body. For example, forgiving someone who hurt or betrayed you can lower your blood pressure and heart rate by helping to reduce the production of stress hormones.

Forgiveness helps us cope with stress better by giving us more control over our emotions. Instead of feeling overwhelmed or hopeless when confronted with a stressful situation, forgiving another person gives us an outlet for our negative feelings so that we are able to focus on other aspects of our lives like work or family instead.

Forgiveness makes it easier for us to be resilient in dealing with adverse situations because we are not letting ourselves get bogged down by negative feelings about what happened in the past; instead we can focus on moving forward towards a better future!

Forgiveness improves your relationships.

Forgiveness can also help you feel more connected to the people in your life. When we hold on to grudges and resentment, we lose touch with the fact that other people make mistakes and have issues of their own. We stop seeing them as human beings with faults, and instead only see them through a lens of anger or dislike. Forgiveness allows us to step outside of that trap, and gain a more balanced perspective on our relationships with others—including family members and friends.

If you're looking for ways to heal your relationship with someone close to you, try asking yourself some questions: What do they want? How do they feel? What are their biggest hopes for themselves? Don't expect an instant fix—but if forgiveness is something that truly means something special for both parties involved (and it probably will), then it's worth putting real effort into making things right again by inviting empathy back into the equation after being hurt by someone else's actions or words.

Forgiveness promotes feelings of spirituality.

Forgiveness can be considered a spiritual act. It is a way to connect with your higher power, your inner self and your higher self. Forgiveness means letting go of the anger, resentment, frustration and other negative feelings that come from being hurt by another person. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting or denying what happened; it simply means that you are choosing to let go of those feelings rather than hang on to them any longer.

Forgiveness connects you with your soul as well because when you forgive someone else (or yourself), you are allowing love into your life again

Forgiveness helps you achieve personal growth and self-acceptance.

Forgiveness is not only a way of letting go and moving on, but it also helps us be better people. By developing a more compassionate mindset, we can have more understanding for those around us. Being able to forgive the mistakes of others helps us see them in a new light—we see that they are human beings who make mistakes just like everyone else does, including ourselves.

It’s important to remember that forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to forget what happened or pretend it never happened (that would be unhealthy). It means that you move from being hurt by something someone else did or said towards having compassion for them as well as yourself

Forgiveness boosts your immune system.

Forgiveness boosts your immune system. Studies have shown that forgiving someone helps to reduce stress, depression, anxiety and anger. These are all factors which contribute to poor health and can weaken the immune system. The more negative emotions you have stored inside yourself, the less chance you will have of keeping well physically as well as mentally.

Forgiveness lessens physical pain.

Forgiveness reduces stress and blood pressure, which are both major causes of physical pain. Stress is a known contributor to chronic pain, as it activates the nervous system and increases inflammation in your body.

As we’ve seen before, forgiveness can also lower blood pressure by reducing anger and hostility. High blood pressure damages arteries over time, which can cause heart disease or stroke—and these conditions are some of the most common causes for chronic pain. So by forgiving someone you harbor ill will toward, you can help relieve some of your physical suffering!

Forgiving makes you feel better about yourself.

Forgiving yourself: Forgiving yourself for a past mistake can make you feel better about who you are. For example, if you once made a mistake in a relationship that ended badly, forgiving yourself for the errors in your judgment will help to improve your self-image. Forgiving others: For forgiving others involves letting go of unresolved anger and resentment toward them. This can also help improve our self-esteem because we are able to stop blaming ourselves for things beyond our control or responsibility.

Forgiving ourselves and forgiving others both contribute positively toward improving our self-esteem, but one important thing to note is that forgiving does not mean forgetting what happened or pretending like it never happened—rather, it means accepting what has happened without letting the negative feelings consume us anymore--and this takes practice!

When we forgive, it's good for our overall well-being

When we forgive, it's good for our overall well-being. Whether you're dealing with a personal or professional situation, forgiveness can have a profound impact on your mental and physical health, as well as your relationships and spiritual life. Let's take a look at some of the ways that forgiveness affects us positively:

  • It helps us to accept what happened (or didn't happen) without judging ourselves or others.
  • It allows us to move forward in life with less baggage weighing us down (we’re lighter!).
  • We experience less stress—the kind that comes from holding onto anger or resentment towards someone else.
  • Forgiveness is good for our relationships because it allows us to let go of harmful emotions like bitterness or resentment towards someone else—which makes it easier for us to enjoy being around others again!

Forgiveness seems like a good idea. It’s good for your health, your relationships, and even the world at large. If you have been holding onto anger or resentment for someone who has wronged you, it might be time to let go of that negative energy that is only hurting you in the long run. You will feel better about yourself and less stressed if you can forgive others for their mistakes—or at least try to work towards forgiving them.

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About the Creator

Esther Ami

Words are powerful and it matters how we use them. I use my words to build and impact, I use my words to lift and inspire. I am a words-person, I love words.

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