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Resentment, bad feeling, and past traumas make heavy baggage. Most of us carry something like that around with us – whether we were mistreated by someone at work or we’re still dealing with something more personal.
When we attach those feelings to a person, it feels like they’re living rent-free in our minds, taking up space, and getting in the way.
But if we can forgive that person, we can begin to lighten our own load. This doesn’t mean condoning their actions or letting them off the hook. It’s a conscious choice we make for our own wellbeing.
Forgiveness is a journey, not a one-off act. It’s a conscious choice we make, regardless of whether the person who hurt us knows about it, or even if they are no longer alive. Importantly, forgiveness doesn’t mean we can’t take action – it just means we choose to let go of the bitterness that harms our own mental health.
Living with unresolved resentment can lead to chronic stress, which negatively impacts our mental and physical health. It can rob us of our peace and prevent us from living a fulfilling life.
In this episode, Dr Steve Smith discusses with Rachel the ways in which forgiveness can play a transformational role in our lives. He provides practical ways we can process our feelings and identify who or what we need to forgive.
Show links
Watch the video version on YouTube
More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
- How to Say F**k it and Become Ridiculously Relaxed (even about stuff that REALLY matters) – Episode 130 with John C Parkin
- How to ACT Instead of Stewing on Your Thoughts – Episode 44 with Dr Shani Langdon
- Complaints and How to Survive Them: Preparing to Fail Well – Episode 78 with Drs Sarah Coope, Annalene Weston, and Sheila Bloomer
Download the episode’s podsheet. You can use it for reflection and to submit for your appraisal as part of your CPD.
About the guests
After training in general surgery and general practice, Steve left the UK to work as a doctor for an NGO in Pakistan. Since his return in 1998, he’s focused on drug and alcohol addiction, and in 2014 launched the KEYS Project, a recovery charity that now operates in 13 centres across the UK. A key success of the programme is teaching people to overcome trauma through forgiveness.
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Reasons to listen
- To learn about the transformative power of forgiveness in overcoming emotional baggage and trauma.
- To discover the significant role of forgiveness in addiction therapy and recovery.
- To understand how acknowledging and addressing past experiences can lead to inner healing.
