When we don't forgive ourselves, we open the door for self hate. We often hold grudges with ourselves and don't grant ourselves the forgiveness that we can sometimes give to others so easily. Forgiving yourself is so important for moving forward and for being happy with yourself.

How many times have you forgiven someone who may have not deserved it? Sometimes we speak without thinking, act without considering the after effects, and simply make wrong decisions but our behavior is not unforgivable. Finding forgiveness for yourself will help you move forward and not dwell on the past. I think a lot of times we are too hard on ourselves and think we don't deserve the forgiveness, but we do. Dwelling on past mistakes will not change them or even help the situation.

One of my favorite bible verses on forgiveness is 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old is gone, the new is here!" How comforting to hear "the old is gone". God is a forgiving God, and if He can forgive your sins, you should be able too as well.

Forgiveness is not an easy thing. It can be hard to get and hard to give, but it gives people and situations a sense of peace and a sense of closure. I learned that forgiveness can take a long time, especially when it comes to forgiving yourself. With forgiveness comes reflection. Reflection is necessary for self improvement and for realizations. Taking time to reflect on how you handled situations or what you did in situations is such a good thing to do. There is a huge difference between taking time to reflect on a situation and dwelling on a situation. I'll never forget the words of my dance teacher after I didn't achieve a goal I really wanted, she said to me; "So let it hurt for awhile but then pick yourself up because you are awesome." Those words meant so much to me and reminded me that the past is not a place to live in. The past is the past for a reason and forgiveness can make for a more pleasant future.