How Forgiveness Boosts Your Health
Learn How Forgiveness Boosts Your Health & Happiness, plus some ways to just let it gooooo.
To forgive is divine. And it is healthy!
Who hasn’t been there? Do you let feelings of wrongdoing make you angry? It happens to the best of us. Sometimes when another person hurts us, we immediately, and quite naturally, experience a feeling of both resentment and anger towards that person. It can sometimes be a fleeting feeling. However, when we are hurt badly enough, that anger can linger and turn into a grudge.
What many do not know is that holding on to these negative feelings is bad for our health. As we are hanging on to that grudge, we may think this hurts the other person. The hard fact is that it just hurts us more.
This is where forgiveness comes in. It gives us the opportunity to move on from betrayal. It does not require us to forget that betrayal; it is just a chance for us to learn from it and move on without the negativity to weigh us down.
Forgiveness Helps us Develop Healthy Relationships
The thing about betrayal is that it truly does affect our ability to create happy and healthy relationships. When someone you love and trust shuts you out (for let’s say political reasons -*wink*), cheats on you, lies to you or is just a downright pain in the neck for no good reason, it is hard not to let that get to you. You may even bring that into the next relationship as a new friend named Trust Issues. When things get bad enough, you may find yourself avoiding relationships altogether.
The good news is that there’s hope. Research has shown that forgiving your partner after cheating can serve to make the relationship even better. If that infidelity brings an end to the relationship, forgiveness will do wonders to help you move on and trust another.
A similar thing occurs in friendships. If you are betrayed by a friend, you may find it tough to explore new friendships. Work on forgiveness and your future friendships will flourish.
Confidence Booster, Anyone?
Forgiving people also helps to give your confidence a needed mood boost while also reducing depression. The ability to forgive somebody who has wronged you will leave you feeling proud, empowered, and in control. Try it and see just how quickly your happiness returns.
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How Forgiveness Boosts Your Health: The Benefits
Being hurt can also shake your confidence, and it is possible you don’t even realize the harm it is doing to you. It may seem as if you are only harming someone else, but those icky feelings that you’re holding onto are there to tell you otherwise.
There are not just emotional benefits that come along with forgiveness. It has a profound impact on the physical as well. When you finally are in a place to let go of the anger and pain that you are experiencing, there will be a number of other benefits. For example:
Emotional and Physical Pain Reduction
A study out of Duke University Medical Center demonstrated that forgiveness helped to lower physical and emotional pain. Those who hold a grudge may experience higher levels of chronic pain. Upon forgiving, that physical pain subsides.
Better Energy and Better Sleep
If you struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep, consider if that is due to holding a grudge. Researchers with the Journal of Behavioral Medicine showed that forgiveness has a wide range of health benefits which include helping to improve sleep and reduce fatigue.
Improved Heart Health
Letting that grudge fester can increase your resting heart rate. Once you make the choice to forgive, that accelerated heart rate may return to normal. Forgiveness plays a key roll in reducing your risk of heart disease or stroke.
Improved Blood Pressure and Immune Health
Increased blood pressure, or hypertension, is a known factor in heart disease. Forgiveness will reduce the stress you are experiencing and lower your blood pressure in the process. It also has been shown to strengthen the immune system. A study involving HIV patients demonstrated that they had increased numbers of CD4 cells after forgiving those who have wronged them. These cells are known for their benefits on the immune system.
Stress Reduction
Stress can have a negative impact on many aspects of your life. It disrupts sleep, causes irritability, increases heart rate, and even leads to anxiety and depression. The act of forgiveness can reduce these stress levels which greatly reduces the risk of a number of illnesses and conditions.
Longevity
Those negative feelings that you are holding can do a number on your quality of life. Walking around with a head full of negativity is no way to navigate this life. Choose to forgive and make room for positive thoughts and happiness. Not only will this make you happier, but you may even live longer as stated by a 2011 study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
All of these amazing benefits of forgiveness will go a long way to result in a long life. Stress has the ability to lower the lifespan if you hang on to it long enough. Let forgiveness make a positive impact on your life expectancy. The key to living a long and happy life is forgiveness.
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It is worth a mention that these benefits happen to those who forgive unconditionally. Those who wait around for an apology will not have the same positive outcome on their health.
This is not to say that forgiveness equals you continuing to entertain this person’s presence your life. It simply means that you let go of the resentment and negative feelings their actions have triggered. Cutting off ties before or after forgiving someone can be a totally healthy practice; one that does not mean you forgive them many less when you install a zero contact policy.
How Forgiveness Boosts Your Health: Conclusion
I get it. I can talk all day about all of the wonderfully positive side effects of forgiveness. I do recognize that it is easier said than done.
Forgiveness can take some work, but I promise that putting in that work will be worthwhile. It is a decision. When you make the decision to forgive, this does not mean that you have to put it all behind you. Quite the contrary, there are lessons to be learned when someone wrongs you. It is important to remember those lessons so that you may continue to learn and grow. Forgiveness allows you to get rid of that negativity, stress, and pain which goes hand in hand with holding a grudge.
I encourage you to let it go and experience all the fantastic side effects that come along with forgiveness.
Have you noticed a shift in your health and happiness after forgiving someone? I’d love to hear, leave me a comment below!
