Try
Forgiveness… Just for the Health of It
by Rita Milios, The Mind Mentor
To err is human. To forgive is divine.
It's also
healthier.
There is growing evidence that a
non-forgiving, angry, resentful attitude can do more than ruin your day. It can
adversely affect your overall health. A study in the January, 2008 issue of Mayo Clinic Health Source reported that
subjects who held onto a non-forgiving attitude experienced increased blood
pressure and muscle tension and had less sense of self-control. An earlier
study (Duke University Medical Center 2003) linked anger and resentment to
chronic pain and depression.
In the
studies, forgiveness was measured as a willingness to deliberately give up
anger and resentment toward an offender or an offending situation and to
replace these emotions with understanding and compassion. Evidence shows that
people who have this attitude and who can “just let it go,” are often those
whose overall resilience is greater, which allows them to bounce back from
setbacks more readily.
Choosing forgiveness does not require
relinquishing the right to hold another accountable. It simply means not
letting a situation hold you hostage emotionally For those who want to move
toward more forgiveness and resilience, here are some suggestions:
- Recognize your
angry, hostile, non-forgiving attitude.
- Get into the
habit of refusing to finish hostile, angry thoughts - force yourself to
stop
mid-sentence and change the thought.
- Learn to really
listen and try to see the other person's point of view.
- Realize that
most people's intentions are good.
- Attempt to see
all situations as opportunities for growth and learning.
- Don’t sweat the
small stuff.
- Remember that
forgiving is good for YOU.
Rita Milios, The Mind Mentor, is a psychotherapist
and author from Kissimmee FL.