Discover the Power of Forgiveness

Written by Leonard J. Roos


What do you do when somebody hurts you? Do you want to hurt him back or do you hold it against that person forrepparttar rest of your life? If you answer yes to these questions, know that you are like most people. To forgive is something that people generally have difficulty with.

Why don't people forgive readily? Here's why, because it is easier to hate than to forgive. Some people think to forgive is a sign of weakness, but let me tell you, it is not. To forgive takes courage and extra effort.

What is forgiveness? It is a gift from a generous heart. Forgiveness is not a reward. It is not something that you give to someone based on his good behavior. It is something that you give to a person irrespective of whether he has deserved it or not. Forgiveness is also not based on whetherrepparttar 123835 person has asked for forgiveness.

Also know this. Forgiveness is not an event, which starts and concludes when you sayrepparttar 123836 words, "I forgive you". Forgiveness is an act and a process, which often takes time. The deeper your hurtrepparttar 123837 longer it usually takes to completely forgive. It is an act because it is not justrepparttar 123838 words you say but it is your actions which will show if you've really forgiven.

A fine example of someone who embodies true forgiveness is former South African president Nelson Mandela. Mandela was imprisoned byrepparttar 123839 former all-white South African government for 27 years. Upon his release Mandela surprisedrepparttar 123840 whole world when he showed no bitterness towards his jailers. That is truly remarkable.

Why is it necessary to forgive? Forgiveness releases you fromrepparttar 123841 burden of bitterness and hate. It takes enormous energy to hate and to keep that hate in place. Forgiveness brings freedom whereas revenge is neither sweet nor gratifying, its just a hollow feeling.

A lot Can Happen in a Year

Written by Michael D. Pollock


We worked together for about a year via telephone. It was a bit sad, but we both knew our work together was complete - for now.

As I reflected on allrepparttar work she'd done and subsequent progress she'd made overrepparttar 123834 past year, it made me realize that real change in our lives usually doesn't happen quickly (unless you consider a year to be "quick").

She came into my life wanting to create more balance in her life, "get out of ruts," become more adventurous and create a brighter financial picture.

We began meeting each week. Initially, she was a classic multi-tasking, work-all-day, priority-list-checking, baby boomer who - atrepparttar 123835 end of a long, productive day - found herself saying simply:

"So what. I got everything done on my list, but so what. Is this it?"

Yes, she got a lot done. And like many of us, there was a deeper, wiser part of her who knew life is not *just* about doing.

It's also about be-ing.

I wondered what she was be-ing . . .

as she went about her days . . .

do-ing . . .

do-ing . . .

do-ing . . .

and still more do-ing.

As our work progressed, we discovered what WAS behind all her doing. We found out what she was BE-ING behind all her doing.

Here's what it was.

In a word.

Survival.

Like so many of us, as a young child she learned a belief that said "I'm not good enough." And to be "good enough," to get by in life, to SURVIVE, she decided she had to DO allrepparttar 123836 stuff she was doing. I say she "decided," butrepparttar 123837 reality is she wasn't even aware she'd made that decision.

Her life was driven by shoulds.

Her life was driven by survival.

I remember a comment she made to me once. She said:

"Anyway, some how I ended up with extremely high standards for myself that I don't seem to live up to."

As you read these words, it may seem as though she was somewhat dysfunctional. In fact, she wasn't. At all.

She was quite successful. She was (and is) a wonderful mother, a successful small business owner, very well read, self-aware, incredibly bright and pleasant.

Her life was full - too full.

Yet her heart was empty - yearning for more ofrepparttar 123838 richness of life. Yearning to expressrepparttar 123839 fullness and depth of who she really was.

Who she really was (is) . . .

Having gotten torepparttar 123840 bottom of her survival-based patterns, we turned our attention to just that -repparttar 123841 truth of who she really was.

We began this part of our work aroundrepparttar 123842 5th week of our journey together. To do this, we started by looking at times in her life when she felt most alive and most in love with life. We looked at what she was doing during those times.

More importantly, we looked at what she was being. We peeled backrepparttar 123843 layers of doing, in search of justrepparttar 123844 right words to capturerepparttar 123845 passion, joy and lust for life, which had become shrouded by years being not good enough.

I rememberrepparttar 123846 initial strain we both felt as we worked to come up with justrepparttar 123847 right words, justrepparttar 123848 right statement to capturerepparttar 123849 depths of her soul in full bloom.

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