To Forgive - Divine
"People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway." These words were reportedly found written on the wall of Mother Teresa's room in the Calcutta Children's Home. It is based on "The Paradoxical Commandments" originally written by Dr. Kent M. Keith. Have you met these illogical, unreasonable and self centered people? Is one of them a permanent part of your life?
People let us down. They make mistakes and don't own up to them. Occasionally, they are just plain mean. People are imperfect. Sometimes they intentionally hurt us, but more often, I suspect, people hurt us without realizing it. Who hasn't said or done something they immediately regretted?
The question then is: What do you do when someone hurts you? Do you hold a grudge? Ruminate? Drink too much, eat too much? The interesting thing about being angry with someone is that it actually allows them to continue to influence your feelings long after the original slight. Being angry is bad for your mental health. It eats away at you and changes how you see the world. It can also have serious physical consequences. Could there be another choice?
How about forgiveness?
The wise mother of a good friend of mine counseled him to forgive a significant wrong done to him. He felt immediately better upon taking his mother's advice. Forgiving someone who has harmed you is not easy. Yet, it is much easier to try to forgive than to live with continuous negative feelings. Is there an opportunity for you to forgive someone in your life? Try it. You will feel better when you do.
Keep Thriving!
Tracy
This tip is dedicated to Jeanie, who was a wise and wonderful woman.
*******
Tracy Knofla
High Impact Training
PS. Feel free to share this with your friends and colleagues