Benefits of habit “Learn to forgive other people”

✓ Reduces feelings of anger
✓ Reduces anxiety
✓ Improves relationships
✓ Decreases the need to stay guarded

First step:

Once a week

Progress:

1. Start this exercise by choosing the most distant friend of relative and actively choose to forgive them something they said or did. Reason yourself into forgiving them and if you feel the need, call them and tell them you did. Do this once this week.
2. Next week, forgive 2 closer friends and/or relatives.
3. Keep increasing the number until you don’t hold any grudge against anyone anymore.

Helpful tips to make it a habit:

1. Same time is key. Forgiveness requires a little bit of time to sit down and think about what happened and reason yourself into forgiving the event. Dedicate some time during the day to do just that and make it always the same time. Almost like a meditation.
2. Trigger your mind. If possible, keep a picture of the person you’re trying to forgive somewhere visible, so it would always be on your mind.
3. Let the app help. Set a reminder in this app for your forgiveness contemplations.
3. Reward yourself. Once you’ve forgiven enough people, reward yourself by re-establishing relationships with some of them. Despite their wrongs, they might be great people. You won’t know until you try.

Tips for beginners:

✓ Be reasonable. Think well on what you’re forgiving. If it’s a small hurt, like a little lie, something broken by accident, etc. – these are small things that can happen to anyone and perhaps there is a good reason or explanation for it. Try to put yourself into that person’s shoes and try to understand them.
✓ But be careful also. Some hurts ARE malicious and you won’t always be able to tell which ones. Forgive, but do not forget – this saying fits here perfectly. Forgive, but watch for bad signs.
✓ Think of yourself first. Forgiving someone can do most good for you rather than other people. When you let go, you will feel lighter and more positive, learn to trust people again. It’s a net benefit to you and if other people benefit too along the way – even better.