Forgive Yourself and Let Go of the Past

Around the last week in December is when we start to beat ourselves up over what we didn’t accomplish by December 31st. If asked, most of us could write a long list of all the things we did wrong in 2016.

I didn’t save money or travel as much as I wanted to do
I didn’t exercise or lose the extra weight I complained about all year
I planned to end my unhealthy relationship with ______ but ________ (fill in the blank)
I said I was going to quit the job I hate, yet I’m still at the same miserable job

The funny thing is, when the clock strikes midnight and it is now a new year, it doesn’t mean all the hard work we did in 2016, 2015, 2014, etc. all goes to waste.

Sure, it’s important to make realistic goals for the year with a plan of action and hold ourselves accountable. Yet, at the same time, it is just as important to forgive yourself for your perceived mistakes from the previous year. I say perceived because many of our mistakes are actually lessons we needed to learn in order to grow into the person we desire to be.

Instead of recognizing our perceived mistakes as blessings in disguise, for many, we get this renewed energy to do better come January 1st. That’s when we make these lofty new year resolutions as a way to make up for the shortcomings from the previous year.

Yet, it is hard to keep those plans past February when you are still holding onto the guilt over the things you didn’t accomplish the year before.

That’s why forgiving yourself is the first step to making a real change in your life. Holding onto the guilt, embarrassment, shame, or disappointment for what did or didn’t happen in 2016 is not going to help you succeed what you desire in 2017. However, holding onto it will block you from your dreams.

Learn to forgive yourself.

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p.s. – If you haven’t already, join the Facebook event page for Breaking Up with the Norm and

p.s.s. – We want to know what are you forgiving? How did it feel to forgive yourself? Post your comments!