Forgiveness… A word we hear a lot whether it’s someone advising us to forgive, or us begging for someone’s forgiveness.

Before beginning to state some of the many reasons that makes the act of forgiveness essential to move on, let’s all keep an open mind and understand that forgiveness doesn’t mean that we accept the harm others do to us, it simply means that you’re strong enough to release the past so it no longer has control over your present.

Forgiveness has incredible life enhancing benefits. For one, forgiveness triggers happiness and consequently kicks all those negative feelings out of your life. Through forgiveness, you literally set yourself free in every possible meaning of the world. Think of yourself as a bird who has been miserably trapped in a cage for ages, and then a miracle carried in the sunbeams of a Sunday morning shines your way breaking the lock.

Forgiveness has a bigger toll on our health, more than we could have possibly guessed. This simple act of kindness has the power to affect you emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and even physically. Science took a microscopic look into things to fully grasp the influence of forgiveness. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a difficult situation where you’re begging and pleading for someone’s forgiveness because you know very well that by them forgiving you, you will be able to forgive yourself and rest your conscious for the night. Open your eyes, how does that feel? I’ll take a wild guess that you didn’t like the feel of it, therefore by knowing the burden of not being forgiven, why not do the same for those who are begging and pleading for ours?

Bottom line? Forgiveness has everything to do with our happiness and wellbeing; it’s the key towards leading a blissful life. As the great Lewis B.Smedes said, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” In the end the world is a complicated place, making our opinions over what forgiveness means and whether we should or shouldn’t do it extremely complicated as well. Whether you’re forgiving others or your beautiful self, it’s my wish that you’ll choose to set yourself free and realize what alleviation it carries. You’re a wild thing, don’t be tamed.