Definition Essay On Forgiveness

Forgiveness: A Journey to Happiness and Positivity My well-being project chosen for this course concerned forgiveness. Forgiveness is generally defined as, “a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you; regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness” (cite Greater Good article). This definition of forgiveness, to me, seemed frivolous. I felt like I did not need forgiveness, especially because of the last part of forgiveness’s definition: I was not prepared to forgive someone who I felt did not deserve it. I was not convinced I needed forgiveness to be my WP project. I am strong and confident in who I am as a person; I knew that I was someone

Forgiveness, besides peace of mind, can lead to embracing joy and gratitude and letting go of anger and frustration. First, anger gets one out of a constant state of anger and bitterness. When one forgives, he/she lets go of sadness, bitterness, anxiety, and other negative emotions associated with the situation. According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, if one is unforgiving he/she might, “bring anger and bitterness into every relationship and new experience, become so wrapped up in the wrong that you cannot enjoy the present, become depressed or anxious, feel that your life lacks meaning or purpose, or that you are at odds with your spiritual beliefs, and lost valuable and enriched connectedness with others” (Adult Health). This means that forgiveness alleviates all that negativity from one’s life. Forgiveness means savoring more, less sadness, having purpose, and connecting with humans on a deeper

It included two, daily elements: journaling and meditation. I decided to implement meditation after researching the health benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, mediation, “can give you a sense of calm, peace, and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health” (Mediation article Mayo Clinic). This seemed to directly coincide with the forgiveness benefits I had also found while researching. My daily meditations included both formal and informal meditations found The Gift of Loving-Kindness: 100 Meditations on Compassion, Generosity, and Forgiveness, including the meditations, “Forgive Yourself” (64), “Love Travels Like the Wind” (69),“Let the Light In” (83), and “Clear Your Heart” (87); and informal meditations of repeating positive self-talk and forgiveness/compassion mantras throughout the day when I was feeling angry, upset, or stressed. Along with my daily meditations was my daily journaling. I decided to journal, not only because I find writing cathartic, but also because there have been proven health benefits of expressive