The Forgiveness Process

[MajestyJo]

• The Stepping Stones to Forgiveness
  Be open to the possibility of changing your beliefs
  about forgiveness. Recognize that forgiveness is an
  act of strength, not weakness.
  
  Be willing to let go of being a victim. Choose to
  believe that holding on to grievances and unforgiving
  thoughts is choosing to suffer. Find no value in self-pity.
  
  Remind yourself that your anger and judgments
  can’t change the past or punish someone else, but
  they can hurt you. The events of the past cannot hurt
  you now, but your thoughts about the past can cause
  you immense distress and pain. Recognize that any
  emotional pain you feel this moment is caused only
  by your own thoughts.
  
  See the value of giving up, not some, but all of your
  judgments. It is no coincidence that the happiest people
  are those who choose not to judge and know the value
  of forgiveness.
  
  Recognize that holding on to anger will not bring you
  what your truly want. Ask yourself this question, " Does
  holding on to my justified anger really bring me peace
  of mind?" Anger and peace; judgment and happiness
  do not occur at the same time.
  
  See that there is no value in punishing yourself.
  Once you truly recognize that your angry, unhappy
  thoughts about the past are poisoning your life, you
  will embrace forgiveness and know the meaning of
  love.
  
  Believe that forgiveness means giving up all hope
  for a better past! Accept your past, forgive your past,
  and embrace the present and future with hope! There
  is no law forcing you to remain a victim of the past.
  
  Choose to be happy rather than right. When we
  stop trying to control others and focus instead on our
  own thoughts, we give ourselves the gift of freedom
  and peace.
  
  Believe that you have the power to choose the
  thoughts you put into your mind. Perhaps the greatest
  gift we have been given is the power to choose loving
  thoughts rather than angry ones. Your mind is not a
  dumpster that will remain unaffected by the trash you
  put into it. Treat it like a garden and it will blossom.
  
  Be willing to make peace of mind your only goal
  and believe that forgiveness is the key to happiness.
  Regardless of the chaos around us, we can know peace
  if that is our single goal. Choose not to let outside
  circumstances or people decide whether you will be
  happy. Anger, judgments and unforgiving thoughts
  make suffer, and releasing them brings us joy. It truly
  is that simple!