There is no freedom greater than forgiveness. Whether you are entering rehab or living a life in recovery, forgiveness is a life-giving skill that you can develop. Forgiveness is something that you can readily give yourself at anytime. Right now, in fact. Repeat after me, “I forgive myself.” There can be no greater act of self-love than for you to gift yourself with these three simple words. Forgiveness is a large component of recovery. As you begin to live a clean and sober lifestyle, there will be issues from the past that beckon your attention. Destructive relationship patterns, missed opportunities, and family drama all require forgiveness and the acknowledgement that you cannot change the past. You have today and each day forward to put your best foot forward. Forgiving yourself for past actions, even when other people may not, is critical for you to be able to live a free and fulfilling life.
What if I can’t forgive myself?
Okay, let’s try this on for size and see what happens. Let’s say that you have a friend named Gina who recently completed a treatment program. She has had a difficult time over the past few years, but you are proud of her for persevering and choosing recovery. She was regularly attending support group meetings for a while, but lately you’ve noticed something seems amiss. Gina confides in you that she can’t forgive herself for the life she used to lead. She feels like a bad person because of all the pain she has caused herself and her loved ones. You notice Gina isn’t coming around much lately and attends support meetings every now and then. She has even started to miss work.
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