How of Happiness: Post#9--Forgiveness

Learn to Forgive: “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned.” ~Buddha.
a.    People who forgive are happier, less depressed, hostile or angry; they are happier, healthier and more agreeable.
b.    Practice forgiveness: Appreciate being forgiven yourself…how it felt when someone forgave you. Imagine forgiving another who has hurt you—just thinking about it changes how you think. Write (but you don’t need to send it) a letter of forgiveness to someone who has hurt or abused you—this exercise is cathartic. Practice empathy—forgiveness and sympathizing with another are learned and need to be practiced in our daily lives. Ruminate less—rehashing past trauma over and over isn’t healthy; it’s toxic and can unravel people. Rather, think of a large STOP sign and call it up as you begin to spiral into rumination.