How To Forgive Yourself For Past Mistakes

What has happened in the past should not influence our current emotions and feelings. Although we can learn from deviations and mistakes, many people are unable to forgive their mistakes of yesterday. They fail to move forward. It is essential to learn how to forgive yourself for past mistakes.

Forgive yourself for the mistakes you have made

The statement “No one is perfect” is 100% true. Every man is wrong at some point. What is different for each of us is the way we accept our mistakes, as well as the way we choose to learn from them.

As long as we don’t look for answers, we will have nothing to gain if we stay at home and cry, if we think obsessively about what we did not do well. Self-blame and punishment do not allow us to go too far.

We need to understand what happened and find solutions so that the situation does not happen again or never affect us negatively.

Forgiving someone, including yourself, is hard. Yesterday’s mistakes frequently follow us, refusing to leave us alone. Forgiveness depends on our ability to give up through reflection, self-awareness, and knowledge.

When we make a mistake, we feel defeated, desperate, and tormented. It’s like hitting a nail in your finger, taking it out and then hitting it again. By behaving in this way, that nail will hurt and burden us forever.

Of course, it is not easy to forgive, but it is worth doing. You will feel relieved to get rid of that burden that you carry with you and you will prevent the repetition of mistakes in the future.

How to forgive yourself for past mistakes – 7 tips

Self-forgiveness requires you to look back and take responsibility for your mistakes.

As hard as it may seem to believe, we are our harshest critics, judging ourselves much harsher than others. Start forgiving yourself today and remember that every mistake is an opportunity to grow.

If you want to find out how to forgive yourself for your past mistakes , read on!

1. Look for (and find) a positive side

Contrary to many people’s beliefs, any event contains a dose of goodness. Pain, failure and mistakes allow us to grow, mature and understand life better. When you make a mistake, ask yourself, “How can I use this experience?”

In order to prevent the repetition of mistakes, it is essential to determine what the “teaching” is. Set aside as much time as you need to discover the positive side of the situation, then move on to the forgiveness stage.

2. Determine the “why” of forgiveness

Forgiveness is a very important action because it frees us from the dungeon where we often lock ourselves in without realizing it.

Maybe you feel guilty or responsible for something that happened. For this reason, you fail to forgive yourself. However, although memories can be very painful, keep in mind that no matter how negative the consequences, you can fix the problem.

Prove to yourself that you are able to change, to improve and that you are sorry. This will make it easier for you to forgive yourself.

3. Love yourself the most

We attack ourselves more than others attack us, but without any means of defense. Sometimes we are too harsh when we make mistakes and we cannot forgive ourselves because we do not love ourselves enough.

Self-esteem is not synonymous with narcissism. At the same time, it does not mean that we expect to receive “divine mercy.” Self-esteem allows us to understand each other, to have compassion and to love each other, with everything.

Try to love yourself to build a bridge to forgiveness and you will see that you will feel much better about yourself.

4. Think about the future

When we live too long in the past, we become unable to look to the future. Chaining yourself to yesterday is one of the biggest obstacles that “keep you in place”. A good way to get rid of this burden is to make plans and define your goals.

If you focus on the things you want to accomplish, what you have done before will no longer matter much, or at least it will no longer occupy a leading place in your thoughts.

You can even use a mistake as a launch pad to take action, once you’ve figured out what you need to avoid in order to make your dreams come true.

5. Start from scratch

Starting from scratch is a great way to forgive ourselves for our past mistakes. Be like the phoenix and regenerate from your own ashes.

Put aside the problems and pain that keep you from evolving. Focus on the “new you,” who is not afraid to suffer, but is wise and eager to have unique experiences.

The past must remain where it belongs: in the past. Look at your mistakes as lessons and apply them to your new present so that the future is perfect.

6. How to forgive past mistakes with the help of spiritual development

If you have tried to forgive yourself several times, but have not been very successful, you may need “external” help to accept what has happened.

What can you do? You do not lack options: meditation, prayers, spiritual rituals, psychotherapy sessions… all these help you to develop spiritually and emotionally.

Of course, you can set aside a few minutes a day to reflect and think positively (not about mistakes, but about how you can overcome the situation).

Look for moments when no one bothers you: for example, before bed, immediately after you wake up or even while taking a shower.

7. Appreciate your current life

Excessive thinking about the past or even the future is not beneficial. Such thoughts cause sadness or anxiety (as the case may be). To avoid negative emotions, it is important to enjoy life as much as you can and try to be consistent.

Ask yourself the following questions: What is the most important thing for you right now? For what things should you feel grateful or blessed?

We are sure there are many. Appreciate them!

Now that you know how to forgive yourself for your past mistakes, follow the tips in this article to be happy again!