- Finding Unshakable Power in a World That Wants to Pull Us ApartPosted 2 weeks ago
- What could a Donald Trump presidency mean for abortion rights?Posted 2 weeks ago
- Financial Empowerment: The Game-Changer for Women in Relationships and BeyondPosted 2 months ago
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Tips During and After PregnancyPosted 2 months ago
- Fall Renewal: Step outside your Comfort Zone & Experience Vibrant ChangePosted 2 months ago
- Women Entrepreneurs Need Support SystemsPosted 2 months ago
Forgiveness is for you...Here's how.
Whether you’re a Christian or Jew (or neither), this weekend is about forgiveness.
In Judaism on the High Holy Days, adherents grant forgiveness to anyone who has wronged them; they ask forgiveness of anyone whom they have wronged; and they ask forgiveness and release from G-d for any vows and oaths that they’ve sworn in the last year.
In Christianity, this is when Jesus was hanging on the cross, awaiting death, after being tortured for days. He cries out, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” After his death, his disciples carry his body to a cave and wrap him in white cloth. They come back a day later to discover the cloth still there but he was gone. Jesus rose from the dead, they said. He is the king of kings.
No matter what your beliefs, the message is clear: we must forgive. When I use the term forgiveness, I’m referring to a conscious choice—mindfulness—to take back your power by letting go of your expectations of who you want the other person to be. Forgiveness is wisdom that impresses upon us that maybe “this” is how it needed to be in order for us to learn, grow, and expand our consciousness.
In this emotional space, we’ve come to terms with “what is.” Forgiveness, therefore, isn’t about change (although change often comes). Forgiveness encourages us to accept the person without accepting his or her behavior.
Forgiveness in application may sound something similar to this (Oh, and it might be something you say only to yourself and never to *the person*):
I don’t like what happened, but I know I can’t change it. As difficult and challenging as this has been for me, I’ve been angry long enough. The gift of this experience is what I’ve learned about my Self and my ability to love. I forgive you.
Here is what forgiveness does not mean: “I agree with what you did” or “I invite you to do it again.”
You may have to say it many times to yourself before your heart starts to soften and your anger dissipates.
Today, I will sit for an hour or so of private reflection to atone for the ways in which I’ve judged, evaluated, and criticized others, including my partner; then, I will look to see where I am showing up self-righteously. I will then forgive myself, too. My own heart deserves the same love and fairness I offer others. So does yours.
I hope you can forgive so that you’ll set yourself free. This is true power.
Huge love,
Crystal Andrus Morissette
Founder and CEO The S.W.A.T. Institute
The S.W.A.T. Institute is the world’s premier empowerment coaching certification school exclusively for women.
********
Crystal Andrus Morissette, Founder Simply Woman Magazine
From life as a homeless teen to coaching A-List celebrities, from having abs of steel and the Miss Galaxy to weighing over 200 pounds after having babies, Emotional Age and Communication Expert Crystal Andrus Morissette is a worldwide leader in the field of self-discovery and personal transformation. A media darling, she has been featured numerous times on Oprah.com, the New York Post, Fox TV, the Daily Mail, CBS Radio, CTV, CityTV, Global TV, Slice TV, the Globe and Mail, and the Toronto Star. Crystal is the founder of the S.W.A.T. Institute (Simply Woman Accredited Trainer), an empowerment coach certification exclusively for women that she created with fellow female visionaries Louise Hay, Marianne Williamson, Dr Christiane Northrup, Colette Baron-Reid, and Sandra Anne Taylor among others. Established in 2009, the S.W.A.T. Institute is now in over 30 countries.
Crystal is the author of five best-selling books, including her latest release entitled, “Simply…Woman: Stories from 30 magnificent women who have risen against the odds!” She is also certified in nutrition, sports medicine, and yoga.
Crystal’s message of resilience, strength, and inner power has allowed her to grace the stage with speakers such as Dr. Phil, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Naomi Judd, Suze Orman, Marianne Williamson, Louise Hay, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Joan Borysenko, Debbie Ford, Sarah Ferguson—Duchess of York, and many more. Crystal has coached women from all walks of life including A-list celebrities, best-selling authors, scientists, doctors, dentists, and lawyers to stay-at-home moms and struggling teens. Her passion is to get down in the trenches and help people become the (s)heroes of their own lives.
www.crystalandrusmorissette.com | www.swatinstitute.com