“Don’t surrender all your joy for an idea you used to have about yourself that isn’t true anymore.” ~ Cheryl Strayed
Do you carry around an exaggerated sense of responsibility and self-judgment for something that happened long ago? Is there something in the back of your mind that you need to let go of?
A long-carried burden is just that… a burden. It is time to set it down and carry on.
Today I ask you to offer compassion to your younger self for doing exactly what she was capable of in whatever situation you’re stuck on. She did not have the perspective that you have now. Given what she knew, she did her best. Forgive her the rest.
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year… This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
The really difficult realization I came to in making this decision is how very long I have been toting around some heavy feelings for no reason. I didn’t know how to feel that compassion for my past self or how to offer forgiveness to myself and let it go.
What I’d like you to tell your earlier self is that she was enough, just as she was. She should listen to her heart and inner guidance far more than she was doing at the time. She should trust herself in what she knew.
Since I can’t go back and tell myself those things, I will tell them to myself right now. And this time, I’m listening.
A very moving post indeed! You got me right away with the quote. What a powerful gift we can give ourself by addressing the younger self. Thank you!
Elda recently posted…Why did you remove me as a friend?
I know this is a big topic for you, Elda, so I’m glad it helped!
Great Post. Forgiveness is oh so important for so many reasons. It releases us from the poison of holding an offence and allows us the freedom to live.
Thank you for stopping by, Debbie!
I think the way you ended this post is extremely powerful. I’ve been taking some meditation classes in the Buddhist tradition and I’m learning to forgive – life in the present, not the past or the future. But it is important to forgive before moving on!
Vickie Martin Conison recently posted…INSTALLMENT #7 OF MY READING QUEST
Thanks, Vickie! Forgiveness is for US, not the other person. But seeing our past self as a separate person could be helpful…
This was great Naomi! Such a different way of thinking and you are so right about forgiving the little girl that once was. I need to do that and let go of my past mistakes for sure. Some sort of ceremony I think it on the horizon for this next big step! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
Michelle recently posted…The World Can Be So Loud
I’m with you, Naomi. My “ah-ha” moment from your post is that the forgiveness is for the younger me. So insightful. My stumbling block is that I tried to forgive me as I am now. But that’s not correct. It’s the younger me, the different me, the unseasoned me that needs forgiveness. Huh. Thank you.
I think I have finally managed to ‘forgive myself’ for most the bad decisions of my youth. Oh…they rear their ugly heads occasionally, but I always remind myself that I was young and often times in ’emotional distress’ at the times those poor choices where made. Learn from it and move on….very good advice indeed.
What an important insight! I think I have quite a few of these irrational judgements against myself that I have been carrying around. I thought I should be a great scientist, that I was being lazy and had failed my true nature. How foolish! It’s so hard to break out of expectations sometimes, and be the real you.