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Learning How to Let Go and Forgive

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Valdosta chapter.

There is so much to admire in growth. You learn more about your strength, acquire necessary wisdom, and conquer self-discipline. One essential element to learn is the art of forgiveness. in life, you may come across unhealthy encounters where people hurt you, causing you to fall off track. When this happens, most people respond in either rebuking the person, holding a grudge, or even exerting revenge later on.

All three of these tactics aren’t always the best, and they can push you back further than you think. Holding a grudge eventually increases tension, and you´re resurfacing the same negative energy that was caused in the first place. it can cause us to be unhappy, obscure important tasks and goals, and can affect future relationships. Casting revenge goes against the rules of karma, and you might find karma leading her way right back towards you, instead of the other way around.

When the wound is still fresh, we might feel like it´ll be impossible to ever forgive this person. We´ll toss ideas in our heads, often inflicting rage, hoping they get a harsh taste of all the pain they’ve inflicted on you.

One person in the situation has to step up and be the bigger person, even if that person has to be you. Even forgiving someone who wasn’t worthy of forgiveness, or hasn’t granted an apology can be a tough pill to swallow, but the cycle needs to stop at some point. Forgiveness is truly for you, which in return will be a complete relieve on your end. By forgiving, you’re acknowledging that the situation has happened, and you should look at it as a learning experience. This is also leading you in a new direction of prosperity.

Letting go doesn’t happen instantly and It´s not an easy process. We might dwell on the situation for a while, but once you realize that pain has the ability to linger off, we can advance to the steps of forgiveness. It may even be a trial and error process, testing out new ways to approach the situation without creating more havoc.

Once you do forgive the person, you also have to power of allowing that person back into your life, or you can let them leave. Just because you forgave someone, doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to allow them to play the same role prior to the incident. We can´t control how people act, but we can control the role that they play in our lives. Some people come in our lives for seasons. Once the season is over and the leaves have turned, its time to prepare for whats next.

After you forgive, now its time to focus on the present and enjoy all that life has to offer. Concentrate on how you feel now, and the happiness that is to come and thrive from here on out. We are not what we’ve been through, and cannot value our lives by how we’ve been hurt. Rather, we are the result of maturity, compassion, and prosperity and should be fruitful in all of our endeavors. 

-HCXO

Just your unaverage aspiring writer
Her Campus at Valdosta State.