Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Forgiveness

Let Go And Forgive Others

It's a noble thing when you can learn how to forgive, and let go. You'll develop peace with yourself, and not become bitter. Even though the benefits are great, it's not the easiest thing to do.

While it's easy to let go of the small stuff, there are large transgressions that are much harder to let go of. Although you might have tried to let these things go, you might find that you can't For certain transgressions, you need a plan of action to learn to let them go, for peace of mind.

Learn how to forgive.

Holding on to hurt and grudges will only hurt you in the end. You will be the one who suffers from depression, moodiness, fits of rage, and physical health conditions.

Forgiveness is the right thing to do, but of course you won't forget what took place. You might not be able to absolve the action that took place. Forgiveness simply means that you are rejecting bitterness, and you are moving on.

How do you forgive?

There are no hard and fast rules to this question. But you'll know when the time is right. A good time to forgive is when you find that you are caught in a trap of replaying the incident over and over again.

You have to allow a change in thought to take place, in order to forgive. Try to find compassion for the other person. Try to let go of resentment, and create some positive feelings about your future.

This will be a challenge for those are are dealing with an offender who doesn't care about what they have done wrong. But remember that forgiveness is a gift that you give yourself. It's all about you; it's not about making them feel better.

Learn to let go.

Once you've geared up your heart to forgive, it's time to let go. Although this is the hardest step, it's the most rewarding. This step means that you aren't reliving the incident anymore.

One strategy to let go, is to think about your present. Or, think about your future. Think about the things that makes your life great now.

What holds you back, is when you stay stuck in the past. When you feel yourself sinking into the past, force yourself to stay in the present moment. It will get easier in time, and you will learn how to really forgive when things come up.

Again, letting go is a gift that you give yourself. Holding on to anger and resentment is such a heavy burden! Are those emotions really helping you out? Probably not. So then, decide to forgive. You'll be so glad that you did.

DECISION IN LIFE

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees.

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent. There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide.

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:

· Get as many information as you can about your situation.

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

· Identify and create options.

What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

· Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

· Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.