You are either your own worst enemy or your greatest asset. You can be your biggest cheerleader or your biggest naysayer. How you feel each day is almost entirely in your hands, and if you have choices in your past that are making it difficult for you to forgive yourself, this can put a big damper on several aspects of your life.
Forgiving yourself gives yourself the permission to enjoy life again. When you’re constantly beating yourself up over things that are in the past, you’re not giving yourself the freedom to simply enjoy life again. These negative emotions may even help drive you into relapse if you dwell on them too much, and while it’s important to feel remorse for things you did, especially if they negatively impacted a loved one, you ARE allowed to be happy. So forgive yourself and you’ll find you may enjoy things a little more than you did before you decided to let the past go.
If you can’t forgive yourself, how can you expect the people around you to forgive you? Forgiving yourself means you value yourself far more than you value constantly rehashing your past decisions, enough to decide that you’re going to move forward in your life. If the people around you see that you’re willing to work to move past your choices, then they may be more willing to forgive you if you’ve wronged them in the past, or even in the future.
Most importantly, forgiving yourself means you choose your future, not your past. Your future in sobriety is as bright as you make it, and if you’re focusing on improving that future instead of beating yourself up, things can only go up. Forgiveness is a beautiful thing, and if you’ve been struggling with your self esteem, really giving yourself that gift may give you the boost you need to climb out of your overcast mood. You’re worth forgiving, and even if you can’t let everything go at once, you can take a step in the right direction. Start small, and work your way up from there. Even the smallest act of kindness to yourself can pay off tenfold.
Taking charge over your addiction is the greatest act of kindness you can do for yourself, and when you’re ready to finally take a stand, The Springboard Center is waiting for you. With residential and outpatient treatment programs that are tailored to what will most benefit you, you’ll be able to focus on treatment and know that you’re setting yourself up for success. Don’t let addiction control you for one more day. Call today and get help: 432-620-0255.
