Showing Forgiveness to Help Promote Mental Health Wellbeing

Each year on July 7th, we observe Global Forgiveness Day, showing forgiveness to help promote mental health wellbeing.  This awareness day is dedicated to the transformative act of forgiveness. This isn’t just about saying “sorry” or “I forgive you”; it’s about emotional freedom, mental clarity, and inner peace.

Forgiveness is deeply connected to mental health. Holding onto resentment, guilt, or unresolved conflict can feel like carrying a heavy emotional backpack, one that grows heavier with time. On Global Forgiveness Day, we’re reminded of the healing that’s possible when we choose to let go.

---

The Link Between Forgiveness and Mental Health

Forgiveness has a powerful impact on our psychological well-being. When we hold onto anger, bitterness, or blame, our minds and bodies stay in a state of tension. This emotional tension can:

• Keep us stuck in a cycle of negative thought patterns

• Increase stress and weaken our coping mechanisms

• Heighten feelings of anxiety, depression, and worthlessness

• Drain emotional energy that could be used for growth and healing

From a mental health perspective, forgiveness isn’t just a kind act, it’s a protective and restorative act. People who practice forgiveness tend to experience:

• Lower levels of depression and anxiety

• Greater emotional regulation

• Higher self-esteem and life satisfaction

• Improved interpersonal relationships

• Better overall mental and physical health

Research even shows that forgiveness can reduce cortisol levels and improve heart health. That means forgiveness has real, measurable effects on both emotional and physical well-being.

---

Forgiving Others – Letting Go of Resentment

Forgiving others doesn’t mean forgetting the pain or excusing harmful behaviour. It means you’re choosing to no longer allow the hurt to control your thoughts, actions, or emotional state, it is showing forgiveness to help promote mental health wellbeing

When we refuse to forgive, we can become consumed by the injustice or betrayal we experienced. This can lead to chronic stress, difficulty trusting others, and persistent rumination.

Forgiveness is about empowerment, not weakness. It’s an act of taking back control over your peace of mind and emotional energy. You’re saying, “This no longer defines me. I’m choosing to move forward.”

Letting go might look like:

• Having a difficult conversation

• Writing a letter you don’t send

• Saying a quiet goodbye to the pain, not the person

• Acknowledging the hurt but choosing peace over revenge

Forgiveness is a personal process and doesn’t always require reconciliation. It’s about your healing, not the other person’s behaviour.

---

Self-Forgiveness – Healing from Within

Perhaps the hardest person to forgive is yourself.

We all carry moments we’re not proud of, words we wish we hadn’t said, decisions we regret, or times we feel we failed someone (or ourselves). When left unaddressed, these internal judgments can lead to:

• Chronic shame

• Self-doubt and low self-worth

• Harsh self-criticism

• Inability to move forward emotionally

Self-forgiveness is about acknowledging the mistake, understanding the context, learning from it, and allowing yourself to grow beyond it.

It doesn’t mean pretending it didn’t happen. It means you believe you’re worthy of healing.

Steps toward self-forgiveness might include:

• Talking to a therapist

• Writing a letter of compassion to your past self

• Practicing daily affirmations like “I am learning, not failing”

• Replacing punishment with accountability and growth

When we forgive ourselves, we create space for self-compassion, resilience, and healing.

---

How to Begin the Forgiveness Process

Forgiveness can feel overwhelming, especially when the pain runs deep. But remember: it’s a journey, not a destination. Here are some gentle starting points:

1. Reflect with Honesty
   Ask yourself: What hurt am I holding onto? How is it affecting me now? Identifying the source is the first step to healing.

2. Name Your Emotions
   Whether it’s betrayal, sadness, guilt, or anger—naming what you feel helps you validate and process it.

3. Acknowledge the Impact
   Forgiveness doesn’t ignore the pain. It honours it, understands it, and then moves forward.

4. Choose to Release
   When you’re ready, make a conscious decision to let go—for your own well-being, not to let someone off the hook.

5. Get Support
   You don’t have to do this alone. Talking with a therapist, coach, friend, or joining a support group can make all the difference.

6. Be Kind to Yourself
   Healing isn’t linear. Some days will feel easier than others. Celebrate the small steps.

 

---

Your Peace Is Worth It – Showing Forgiveness to Help Promote Mental Health Wellbeing

Forgiveness isn’t about the past, it’s about your future. It’s about making space for peace, clarity, emotional freedom, and mental strength.

As we honour Global Forgiveness Day, remember that forgiveness is not a one-time act. It’s a daily practice of choosing peace over pain, understanding over judgment, and healing over hurt.

Whether you’re working on forgiving someone else or learning to forgive yourself, know this: you deserve peace. And forgiveness is one of the most powerful tools to get there.