Learn To Hug Life And Let Go Of Suffering, Recognize The Benefits Of Forgiving Mental Health

Illustration Of Mutual Forgiving (Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels)

JAKARTA - In your life, you often don't realize that your greatest enemy is not those who have hurt you. But the thoughts of yourself that continue to hold the pain are close. Revenge, regret, and disappointment you often care for like a valuable heirloom. In fact, it only prolongs suffering.

Launching Psychology Today, Tuesday, September 30 confirms that forgiveness is not just a moral or spiritual matter, but also a strategic decision for mental and physical health. When you choose to let go of anger, it doesn't mean you approve of other people's actions or forget what happens. On the other hand, you are affirming your sovereignty over yourself.

According to author Alex Pattakos Ph.D., letting the wound continue to live in the mind is like pouring gasoline on a fire that you can actually extinguish at any time. Wounds may give the illusion of force, but actually weaken from the inside slowly.

The chronic stress that arises from stored anger can disrupt sleep, disrupt hormones, and even damage the immune system. On the other hand, when a person learns to forgive, the body responds by lowering tension, improving breathing quality, and triggering hormones that foster a sense of calm.

Viktor Frankl once said that suffering without meaning will only be a burden, while the suffering you give the meaning can turn into a source of wisdom. That is, what you need to release is not the memory of the wound, but the emotional grip on yourself.

The process of forgiveness does not always occur in one decision. Sometimes he comes in the form of doubt, tears, and even temptation to get angry again. But like building muscles, small exercises that are carried out repeatedly will foster new forces. The power to say, 'I no longer want to be a prisoner of the past.'

Because in the end, forgiveness is not a gift for the guilty, but a gift for yourself. And maybe, in the midst of a busy world with ego and revenge, the most elegant step is to walk away with a light heart.