Letting Go and Allowing Yourself to Shine| Step 1: Self-Forgiveness
“The forgiving state of mind is a magnetic power for attracting good.”
As the last week of January 2023 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on our theme this year—“Glow Through It”. The past three years have been especially hard for women—not just in terms of maintaining livelihoods, but also in terms of caring for ourselves and our own responsibilities. In order to help our community members keep shining through it all, we started with self-forgiveness. Self-forgiveness is one of the most powerful ways to release shame and guilt, and start giving yourself permission to keep growing even when things get tough.
Self-forgiveness doesn't mean that you are excusing or forgetting what has happened but instead recognizing that you can learn from your mistakes without allowing them hold you back from being your best self moving forward. To forgive yourself is an act of kindness and love towards yourself; it helps you become aware of how your actions affect others, as well as how they impact your own wellbeing. When we practice self-forgiveness, we are more likely to be kinder and gentler with ourselves when facing difficult situations in life. It’s also important to recognize that no matter what has happened in the past, today is a new day filled with endless possibilities!
The beauty of self-forgiveness is that it allows us to move forward without being held back by past mistakes or regrets. We can let go of what we cannot control and focus on that which we can control—our thoughts, words, and actions. This type of forgiveness allows us to free up mental space so that we can think more clearly about our current situation and make decisions accordingly. With this newfound clarity comes increased resilience which will help us navigate future obstacles with courage, grace, and strength!
As we wrap up this week's reflection on the theme for 2023 “Glow Through It” I hope you take away a greater understanding of why it's so important for us as women (and humans!) to practice self-forgiveness more often than not. Self-forgiveness helps us learn from our mistakes without letting them define us; it also encourages us to be kinder and gentler with ourselves when faced with challenging situations in life. So today I encourage you all - let go whatever needs releasing; forgive yourself; shine brightly! You got this!
