The benefits of forgiveness

Forgiveness is good for mental health. But it is also for Physical Health.

Sometimes people around us do things that hurt us or make us feel betrayed or even attacked. On other occasions, we ourselves do something that we later did not agree with. It is not always easy to forgive, but doing so is very healthy. If only for our own interest, we should learn to do it.

Sometimes, forgiveness can be confused as a form of condonation, in which what has happened is assimilated without retaliation. But forgiveness is much more than that.. Forgiving means letting go of what has happened.

The act of forgiveness is much easier said than done and is often very challenging. In any case, Forgiving has many benefits for the health of our body..

Forgiveness is good for the heart

Literally, forgiveness is good for the health of our hearts. In this sense, a study in the journal Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that forgiveness is associated with a lower heart rate and one lower blood pressure. This same study found that forgiving also helps relieve stress.

Other well-known benefits are improved sleep and reduced physical pain. There is also talk of improvement in people who suffer from migraines and strengthening of the immune system.

Forgiveness is good for general, physical and mental health

Another subsequent study has associated forgiveness with five measures of health, in terms of physical symptoms, medications used, sleep quality, fatigue and somatic complaints. It seems that reducing the negative effect and depressive symptoms caused by resentment, strengthening spirituality, conflict management and stress reliefso the impact of forgiveness has a significant effect on overall health.

On an emotional level there are also many benefits of forgiveness. The most important are the improvement of self-esteem and depressive states, as well as the development of empathy, open-mindedness and tolerance.

Forgiveness extends life

This study examined multiple types of forgiveness as predictors of mortality and possible psychosocial, spiritual, and health mechanisms of the effects of forgiveness on longevity.. That is, people who feel that they have been forgiven tend to have a longer life expectancy indirectly (believed to be due to a reduction in chronic stress).

Therefore, and although these results should be taken with caution, remember that your forgiveness will also let those who hurt you rest. Always keep in mind the difference between making mistakes and perpetrating bad acts.

Forgiveness helps you relate better to others

Another study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletinfound that Forgiveness helps restore positive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward the offending party. That is, forgiveness restores the relationship to its previous positive state.

Furthermore, the benefits of forgiveness can extend to positive behaviors towards other people outside the relationship. Thus, forgiveness is associated with more volunteering, more donations and acts of charity, and other altruistic behaviors.

What should I do if I want to forgive?

Forgiving is a process. It is not a switch that you can press, since your emotional processes must also follow their path. If you really want to grant that forgiveness that will give you so much peace of mind, here are some tips to achieve it:

Remember that forgiveness is not forgetting what happened or justifying the bad treatment you have received. Therefore, do not try it that way, as you will only find a feeling of injustice and greater stress.It is very important to identify what you want to forgive. Likewise, why and why you want to let go of resentment is also relevant.Next, take the time you need to review your own emotions and thoughts. This processing is what will lead you to identify the previous point exactly and let time heal you.The next step is to work on acceptance. Whether it is your own feelings or the situation of the grievance, accepting it and understanding it in as neutral a way as possible is what will allow you to forgive.

In this way, forgiveness will take shape little by little and you will be able to express it appropriately. Do not rush or force yourself to do it, as it is a natural process.

Final considerations

When we forgive, we are freeing ourselves from our own slavery. We let go of the pain and resentment that we carried like a weight on our backs, to make way for liberation. Even by forgiving, we conclude that open part that we had with the past.

Forgiveness implies acceptance of what happened, to give way to a profound detachment, not only from the facts or accusations made by others, but also by ourselves. Because Not only do we have to forgive others, it is also convenient to reflect on what we have to forgive ourselves.

Forgiveness is good for the body, for the mind, for personal relationships, and for finding a role in the world. This should serve to convince us that it is much better to let go of resentment and forgive.

As William Shakespeare said:

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