We often find it easy to say sorry to others. If we accidentally step on someone’s shoe, we say sorry. If we know we did something to hurt someone else’s feelings, we say sorry. So, why is it so hard to say sorry to yourself? No matter what the circumstances are, it is essential to show compassion to yourself as well as to others. You must treat yourself like someone you love. We are all human. We make mistakes. But we must be able to forgive ourselves as we would another person.
Although this starts with an apology, an apology means nothing with no action put behind it. When you engage in self-reflection and realize what you need to forgive yourself for, make sure you change your daily habits to prevent that occurrence from happening again in the future. Trust me; it is challenging to look within and tell yourself that you are sorry for the things you went through. You could be ashamed for allowing yourself to be mistreated for so long. You could be sorry for staying in a negative situation that you realize you should have left a while ago. You could be sorry for settling for less than you know you deserve. It is a matter of reflecting within yourself and bringing up those feelings of regret that you try so hard to suppress.
Saying sorry to yourself and meaning it unlocks the door to so much of your untapped potential. Once you realize that it is okay that you made a mistake in the past, you will understand that you achieved the most critical part – forgiveness. You were strong enough to take the blame, and you were strong enough to release it. You were strong enough to walk away when you were mistreated, even if it took longer than you would have liked. You were strong enough to leave the situation that you were in even though it was difficult. You were strong enough to realize your worth, and that is all that matters. So, say sorry to yourself. Forgive yourself so, in turn, you can forgive others as well.
