How Forgiveness Changes You and Your Brain

Forgiveness has become my superpower. I experienced severe trauma as a kid for ten years, CSA, terroristic threats, and physical beatings. I had two violent exes (one who tried to kill me and one who threatened to) and experienced SA and violence against me, including gun violence, five times as an adult. I lost everything I owned because I was lied to and stolen from. But I wake up now, after decades of navigating very choppy waters, in gratitude for this day, this moment. I learned the power of forgiveness after reading a book by Bill Phillips called Transformation. The book takes you step-by-step through 12 writing exercises covering many topics from exercise to food to community service. One of the chapters is called "The Big Forgive." I did that chapter dozens of times on repeat over several years. I also meditated and asked for strength to be willing to even be willing to forgive. That prayer works, by the way. I sent healing thoughts to everyone who harmed me and visualized all the predators in a circle around a fire. I meditated and pictured them as children, which also helped me to let go. Then one day, I sat down in that circle. I realized I was one of my worst abusers. From that moment on, I began to make a friend of the worst enemy of my life. Me. This article confirms everything I have experienced about forgiveness. I love it when science highlights how powerful our brains are when we focus. =)