1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: Not forgiving someone is like drenching yourself in fuel, lighting 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,719 Speaker 1: a match and hoping that they catch on fire. So 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: when you don't forgive, it's really just hurting you. I'm 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: Raley Wukiah and on my podcast A Really Good Cry, 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: we embrace the messy and the beautiful, providing a space 6 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: for raw, unfiltered conversations that celebrate vulnerability and allow you 7 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: to tune in to learn, connect and find comfort together. 8 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: You know what, this last weekend, I was feeling really annoyed, 9 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: and all these people and all these things that had 10 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: irritated me were repeating in my mind. And honestly, I 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: generally am someone who forgets and forgives and moves on 12 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: pretty fast. 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: I don't hold grudges. 14 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: Once I've felt something, I'll usually try and process it. 15 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:49,279 Speaker 2: And move on. 16 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: And a lot of the times people will say, oh, 17 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: don't remember when this person did this, And I can 18 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: honestly say, I just don't. Like I have very vague 19 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: memories of things that have hurt me or things that 20 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: people do. I don't hold count in my mind of 21 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: what people have done that have hurt me because I 22 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: just don't want to live like that. But the thing 23 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: is recently, I've noticed certain things and people and every 24 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: time I'm around them, I find myself irritated, and sometimes 25 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: even hearing their name creates this sour feeling inside of me. 26 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: And so this last weekend, I was sitting and I 27 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: was really just trying to work through it, like why 28 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: do these people annoy me so much that I just 29 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: can't let go and that they keep being repeated in 30 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: my mind and in my thoughts over and over again 31 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: at the most random times. And I realized that a 32 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,759 Speaker 1: big part of it was because I felt like I 33 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: deserved an apology. I felt like I was owed an 34 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: apology from them, like that chapter just hadn't been closed 35 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: or I needed their behavior to be explained to me. 36 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: But what I also realized was that I didn't want 37 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: to feel those things inside of me. I didn't want 38 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: to be angry. I didn't want to have these negative 39 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: thoughts about them. I don't want to deep down not 40 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: wish someone well, because let's be honest, sometimes when someone 41 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: you don't like or someone that has hurt you, when 42 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: their happiness or successes in life come about, it can 43 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: really annoy you too, like why do they deserve that? 44 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: Why do they even get that, and I want to 45 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: feel happy for people, no matter who they are. I 46 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: don't want to feel that negative emotions and those negative 47 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 1: patterns in my mind, because the fact is me thinking 48 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: those thoughts about them only creates toxicity inside of me, 49 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: and those small toxic thoughts become toxic actions and toxic behaviors, 50 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: and then they breed and breed, and before you know it, 51 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: it's not just a toxic thought, it's a toxic you. 52 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 1: One thing I came to the conclusion of over the 53 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: weekend was that we often end up thinking that we 54 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 1: need to tell the person that hurt us that they've 55 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: hurt us. We want to explain the pain, have them 56 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 1: really understand it, have them feel it too, tell them 57 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 1: you hurt me and this is why, and it hurt 58 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: me in this way, and you should be ashamed of 59 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: yourself or you should be really sorry. But the reality is, 60 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 1: no matter how many apologies well receive or how much 61 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: we tell someone they've hurt us, it does not repair, 62 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 1: heal or comfort us unless we choose to let go 63 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: of it too. You could receive the best, most perfect 64 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,399 Speaker 1: apology that you could ever want on paper, but does 65 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: that heal the pain for you. I can think about 66 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: past times, whether that's happened and someone said sorry in 67 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: a genuine way, they really meant it. I could feel 68 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 1: they meant it, and yes, it made me feel better 69 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: about them as a person. I was like, Okay, great, 70 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: they're not a terrible person. It changed the perspective of 71 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: them in my mind. But did it change how I 72 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: was feeling? Did it take away the pain? I don't 73 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: think it did. And in my case, I realized that 74 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: it was me that I had to work through it, 75 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: and telling the person actually had no or very little 76 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: impact on how much better I would feel. Many times, 77 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: for me, it's just getting out. It's me understanding my feelings, 78 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: not them that makes me feel better. And it's inevitable 79 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: that someone along our life is going to hurt us. 80 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: I'm sure you've been hurt in your life many many times. 81 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: It's just part of life. Whether it's big things, small things, 82 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: whether it's someone cutting you up in when you're driving, 83 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: whether it's a family member saying something that they didn't mean, 84 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: whether it's your partner agitating you or saying something rude 85 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: to you, whether it's your mom misunderstanding you. You know, 86 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: there's so many scenarios where we can get upset and 87 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: hurt and it all comes through our own filters. Right, 88 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 1: It's like one thing that would upset me may not 89 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: upset you. I think that might upset you, may not 90 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: upset me. Upset is just going to happen. I think 91 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: it's part and part of just like happiness happens, sadness happens, 92 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: anger happens. We get all of these feelings and all 93 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: of these emotions, but these emotions are not supposed to 94 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: store inside of us. And I remember learning this in 95 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 1: a Vada and it just like hit me like a rug. 96 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: And I remember it saying how so many of our 97 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: health conditions and our the disease in our bodies all 98 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: start or are sparked by emotions that are held and 99 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: pent up and stagnant in our body. And so from 100 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: when I heard that, I was like, I am not 101 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: holding emotions. So I became very really aware of when 102 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: I was getting repeated thoughts about people that were negative, 103 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: when I was feeling negative emotions when I met someone, 104 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: whether it was about them or whether it was just 105 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: my insecurities creating them, my jealousy, my perception of myself 106 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: tainting the way that I saw somebody else. But if 107 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: you're waiting for your emotions or your pain to be 108 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: healed by the words or actions of somebody else or 109 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: how someone else handles that situation, it actually makes you 110 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: less in control of your joy or your happiness. So 111 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: the first realization I came to this weekend was that 112 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 1: telling the person that hurt you that they hurt you 113 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: won't actually help heal you. And until you process it 114 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: and allow it to leave your system, the pain will 115 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: not leave you. And carrying that and resentment around with 116 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: you actually stops you from moving on. If it's still 117 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: with you, then they're with you too. So seriously, let 118 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,919 Speaker 1: it go. Let go of it, whether it's small or big, 119 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: because it is taking up space where love could be 120 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: in you. It is taking your time that they probably 121 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 1: don't deserve, and it's giving energy to something that is 122 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: not serving you to feel better or to be better. 123 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: The second realization I came to was we think that 124 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: forgiveness is something you're doing for the other person. It's 125 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: something you do as a kind, loving gesture to someone else. 126 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: I forgive you, But really forgiveness is a gift that 127 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: you give them and you I forgive you means I 128 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: let go of the wrong you've done, and I no 129 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: longer carry it with me. The anger, the resentment I 130 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: felt for you leave my mind and my heart and 131 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: my body, and I no longer hold you responsible for 132 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 1: the pain that I feel. I mean, isn't that amazing? 133 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: Is that definition of I forgive you not so much 134 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: deeper than the superficial meaning, where yeah, I may tell 135 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: you I've forgiven you, but I still hold it in 136 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: my heart and the next time you do something like that, 137 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: and the next time I get triggered, I'll bring it 138 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: all back up. That doesn't benefit you or the other person. 139 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: I heard this one quote and it really sums it 140 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: up so perfectly. Not forgiving someone is like drenching yourself 141 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: in fuel, lighting a match and hoping that they catch 142 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: on fire. So when you don't forgive, it's really just 143 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: hurting you. It may hurt the other person if they 144 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: love you, of course it will. It will tear them 145 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: apart that you aren't able to forgive them for something 146 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: that they've done. But on top of that, it also 147 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: damages you to And you know what, there will be 148 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: times where someone is truly sorry and times where someone 149 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: is not there'll be times someone will apologize and other 150 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: times where they just won't. But the more you release 151 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: the desire for someone else to heal the pain that 152 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: they've caused and realize that you most definitely have it 153 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: in you to help and heal yourself, the more empowering 154 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: those moments will be. 155 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 2: And usually when. 156 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: I think about why I would hold on to pain, 157 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: sometimes it would be because I felt like, if I 158 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: let go of the pain, it means what they did 159 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: was okay. And I think a lot of us probably 160 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: do that. If I let go of the pain, it 161 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: erases what they did. It takes away from them feeling 162 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: sorry about it. It lessens the impact that it will 163 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: have on the other person. We have to remember that's 164 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: not true. Forgiving someone does not make what they did okay. 165 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: It doesn't justify their behavior. It doesn't give them the 166 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: opportunity to hurt you again unless you let them. Forgiveness 167 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,079 Speaker 1: doesn't make you weak, and holding onto the pain does 168 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: not make you stronger. I'm gonna say that one more 169 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: time because it is so true. Forgiveness does not make 170 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: you weak, and holding onto pain does not make you stronger. 171 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 2: Actually, it's literally the opposite. 172 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 1: Holding onto pain doesn't just make you mentally weak and fatigued, 173 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: but pain, anger, and resentment, like I said, are stored 174 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: in the body and it caused physical illness and weakness. 175 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 1: So actually does the complete opposite. When you withhold forgiveness, 176 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 1: you are just choosing to hold on to resentment, bitterness, 177 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: and pain inside of you. And so it comes down 178 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: to what are you feeding. Are you feeding the part 179 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: of you that wants to heal, grow, be better, or 180 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 1: are you feeding and nurturing the pain that eventually gets 181 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: bigger and bigger and bigger, Because that's what happens. Where 182 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: your energy flows is what grows. And so what do 183 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: you want to grow inside of you? 184 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 2: Do you want to. 185 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: Grow growth and hope and joy or are you choosing 186 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: to hold on to the pain and in turn grow 187 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: that pain, resentment, and anger. Sometimes I think we have 188 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: this imagination of forgiving, meaning that the pain goes away. 189 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: I have forgiven someone when I stop feeling pain, But 190 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: sometimes that doesn't happen. Forgiveness doesn't mean you're still not upset. 191 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: It just means that you are ready to move forward. 192 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: It's not like you suddenly get amnesia of all the 193 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: events or the person that hurt you. You simply make 194 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: this conscious choice that I will not let this be 195 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 1: a weight that I carry around with me. You just 196 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 1: decide that you're no longer a prisoner of your past 197 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: or a prisoner of your pain. So, going back to 198 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: the people in my life that hurt me and that 199 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: was really annoyed at over the weekend, I decided that 200 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: telling them was actually just going to cause more harm 201 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: than good and not actually solve the situation. So instead, 202 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: I decided to get out all the mean, ugly, horrible 203 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: things that I couldn't even believe were inside of me, 204 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: but they were, and I just got them out, whether 205 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: they were reasonable, unreasonable, whether they were valid, invalid, whatever, 206 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: those thoughts I was feeling about those people, I started 207 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: to pour onto paper, and it helps make sense of 208 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: it. It almost creates this map of where it originated from, 209 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 1: why I feel like this now, the things that triggered me. 210 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: It really helps you not just understand what happened, but 211 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: understand yourself so much better too, and how you cope 212 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,959 Speaker 1: and deal with these situations. Ask yourself questions like why 213 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: did it really hurt me? What is it about this 214 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: person that triggers me so much? What is it about 215 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: that situation that triggered me? What am I waiting for 216 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: to move on from this? What do I need? A 217 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 1: little self assessment and reflection is always so useful in 218 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: these situations, and sometimes one of my favorite things to 219 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: do it is write it up and tear it up 220 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: into tiny, tiny little pieces where nobody could ever read it. 221 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: But also there's this like cleansing process, burning it, cutting 222 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: it up, tearing it up, throwing pain all over it, 223 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,319 Speaker 1: whatever you want to do. But there's something about getting 224 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: it out onto something and then disposing of it like 225 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: it never existed. I really think sometimes when there's stagnancy 226 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: in the mind or the body, you know, that's really 227 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: what a lot of these emotions end up being. 228 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 2: They end up being stagnant in us. 229 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,600 Speaker 1: What happens with stagnant things Like in ar Veada it 230 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: says that toxins and discomfort in your stomach and gas 231 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: and bloating all comes from food that is too stagnant 232 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: in your gut for too long. It starts to ferment, 233 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,679 Speaker 1: starts to produce all these gases, and it starts to 234 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: produce toxins, and so in the same way, our thoughts 235 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: do that when our thoughts are too stagnant. Sometimes we 236 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: just need to create movement, and so writing and processing 237 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 1: is the movement that's required to remove the stagnancy of thoughts. 238 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: And you know, when all else fails, the one thing 239 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: I go back to is praying. I pray every single 240 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: day to forgive and to be forgiven, because law knows 241 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: I've done my share of hurting people, I'm sure, sometimes knowingly, 242 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: sometimes unknowingly, but at the times I find it hard 243 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,199 Speaker 1: to forgive others I feel. Praying feels hopeful, it feels 244 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: like you're putting it into God's hands, and sometimes that's 245 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: all you can do, especially when you feel like you're 246 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: out of control, especially if you feel like that person 247 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: is not responding in the way that you want them to. 248 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 1: And you know, I've spoken to people who felt anger 249 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: towards people who have even passed away. How do you 250 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: get rid of that? You can't communicate with them. The 251 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: only way you can is through your own words and thoughts. 252 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 1: But there's no reciprocation. And it's almost like when you 253 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: can when you go to your mom crying and they 254 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: give you a hug and you tell them all your problems, 255 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: and you know that feeling of Okay, they've got the 256 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: weight of that on them too. They're going to take 257 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: it from me in the same way. If we can 258 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: learn how to surrender to God in that way, to 259 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: the universe, and that way to nature, in that way 260 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 1: with any kind of name you want to call God, 261 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: it's all the same, really, But whoever you want to 262 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: pass it off to God, universe, nature, there is something 263 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 1: really special of saying it's in your hands now. I 264 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: can't do anything, and me trying to control the situation 265 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: is not making it better. 266 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 2: So I have to just surrender it to you. Just 267 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 2: give it to you. 268 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 1: You handle it, because at this point, nothing I do 269 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: is making it better. And so I don't just give 270 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: you my forgiveness. I am putting my anger in your hands. 271 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: I'm putting all my emotions in your hands, and I'm 272 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: saying I just surrender it all. 273 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 2: I can't handle it anymore. 274 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: And this is all going to you, and whatever you 275 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 1: think is best for me to learn the lessons I 276 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: need to in life. You do with it what you want, 277 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: you do with it, what you think is best. Because 278 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,199 Speaker 1: I only have a small perspective of what I think 279 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: is best for myself and honestly, that has really helped 280 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: me in many, many situations, just surrender, surrendering things that 281 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: no longer feel like they're benefiting me, but passing it 282 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: on to safe hands that you know will look after you. 283 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: I have a strong belief that what is meant to 284 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: be is meant to be, and trying to punish someone 285 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: and making someone feel bad for what they've done is 286 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: often not our job. It may feel like it's our job, 287 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: but it's really not. That is for good to handle. 288 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: And of course in extreme situations, by the way, where 289 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 1: someone has been harmed or gone through really awful, horrible things, 290 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 1: it's so much harder to apply this. And so I 291 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: guess I'm talking about the smaller situations, the ones that 292 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: don't feel so life or death or so threatening, because 293 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: we go through this on a daily basis with I 294 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: feel like these ebbs and flows of emotions come through 295 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: us regularly, and that's the point. They have to come 296 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: through us, not sit in us. So try and look 297 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: for the blessings in the lessons, or remind yourself that 298 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: things don't happen just because maybe this was the pain 299 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: that was meant to come to me to show me 300 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: something about myself or to actually protect me in the future, 301 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: and so do me and you both a favor. And 302 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: this season of shedding and letting go, just like the 303 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: trees are outside, let go and shed the painful emotions 304 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: that you are holding onto to create room for all 305 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: the goodness that is waiting to enter if you so 306 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: let it. Forgiveness is different from condoning or forgetting or reconciliation. 307 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: I read this when I was reading up about forgiveness, 308 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: and it said condoning removes the offense, forgetting removes the awareness, 309 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: and reconciliation restores a relationship. And you can really decide 310 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: what step you want to take. Do you want to forgive, 311 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: do you want to forget, or do you want to 312 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: reconcile with the person and make efforts of that. I 313 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: think it really depends on your situation. There's a psychologist 314 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: called Robert Enwright, and he says there's four steps to forgiveness. 315 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: The first step is to uncover your anger by exploring 316 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: how you've avoided or addressed the emotion. The second is 317 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: to make the decision to forgive. You have to make 318 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: a conscious decision to forgive. First, you have to acknowledge 319 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: that ignoring or coping with the offense hasn't worked, and 320 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: that forgiveness might provide a path forward. So recognizing that 321 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: forgiveness is something you need to do. The third is 322 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: to cultivate forgiveness by developing compassion for the person. And 323 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: what I realized is in these situations, you basically have 324 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: to do what makes you forgive the person. It doesn't 325 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: mean it's true, it doesn't mean you're justifying their behavior. 326 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: I just want to really clarify that because there's many 327 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: times when someone hurts me and I'm like, okay, I 328 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 1: can understand where that came from because all the way 329 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: back to oh, okay, this is how their parents were 330 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: as they grew up, and they grew up as an 331 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: only child, and then they had this happen, and this happened, 332 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: this happened, so maybe that explains why their behavior is 333 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: like this. So an explain can actually help in your mind. 334 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,120 Speaker 1: It does not justify. It just helps you to come 335 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: to terms with why that happened to you. So there's 336 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 1: a big difference between that. And lastly, he says, release 337 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: the harmful emotions and reflect on how you may have 338 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: grown from the experience and the act of forgiveness itself. 339 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:17,959 Speaker 1: And so these four steps are similar to what I've 340 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: already mentioned before, but it's quite nice when there's like 341 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: a scientist or a psychologist that's kind of backed up. 342 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 1: There's this time called forgivingly fit, and I thought that 343 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: was really good because sometimes we think that forgiveness should 344 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: be something that just comes to us, that it's easy, 345 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: that it's a human emotion, and that it should just 346 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: be there. But sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's actually really 347 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:37,840 Speaker 1: hard to forgive. I find there's people in my life 348 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 1: who find it very easy and other people in my 349 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: life who find it extremely hard. They hold onto every 350 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: single thing, everything stays in their mind. They will remember 351 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: every bad thing that someone's done to them, and so 352 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: for that it needs to be a practice. And so 353 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: forgivingly fit means just like you would do a workout 354 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: to make yourself stronger, So it's basically working your forgiving 355 00:17:58,280 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 1: muscles essentially. 356 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 2: So what would that mean? 357 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: That would mean just like you end up working out 358 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,200 Speaker 1: every single day, how can I add forgiveness workouts into 359 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: my life every single day? So you could start by 360 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: making a commitment to yourself to not talk about the 361 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:17,679 Speaker 1: people that I've hurt you. And that is such a 362 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: huge one for me because what I notice is even 363 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: with my friends, when they come and they meet me 364 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: and they start telling me this person did this or 365 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: this person did this, it makes the problem so much bigger. 366 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: And then I'd be like, oh, my gosh, I can't 367 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: believe she did that to you. 368 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 2: That is so horrible. 369 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: That is terrible. You know, as naturally as a friend 370 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: would be, you'd be supportive. And the way that you 371 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: sometimes support is by saying, yes, they did you wrong, 372 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: that was a wrong thing to do. But sometimes we 373 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: focus on the wrong that's done rather than Okay, but 374 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: how can I help you heal from this? And so 375 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 1: in the same way, for me, I actually take a 376 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,920 Speaker 1: second before I talk about someone hurting me to anybody else. 377 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 1: My initial reaction is not to call someone anymore and 378 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: say this person hurt me, they did this, this, and this, 379 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,919 Speaker 1: because one, if it's someone that's close to you, it 380 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: creates a bad image of that person to whoever you're 381 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: telling and they will not be able to unsee that. 382 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: And secondly, it fuels the problem, it fuels the emotion 383 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,360 Speaker 1: you're feeling, and so try not to talk about that 384 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 1: person and going even further than that. It's easy to 385 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,200 Speaker 1: talk about people that you don't like, and it's actually 386 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 1: a dangerous thing to do because you justify in your 387 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: mind because you're like, oh, they've done wrong to me, 388 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: and so now talking about them is okay. But gossip 389 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: is gossip, and so if you are negatively talking about somebody, 390 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: you are creating negative emotions inside of you, and it's 391 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: making you a toxic person. And so it's different if 392 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: it's then in a strategic way where you're really trying 393 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: to work through it, But differentiate between trying to talk 394 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: through it or just trying to get somebody on your 395 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: side by telling someone how terrible that person is and 396 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: just trying to get someone to agree with you to 397 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 1: make yourself feel better. You don't have to say good 398 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: things about them. You don't have to agree when someone says, 399 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 1: oh my god, this person is so lovely. 400 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 2: You can just stay quiet. 401 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: If someone has hurt you, you do not have to 402 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: go around telling people that someone hurt you. It actually 403 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: adds so much more fuel to the fire and it 404 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: creates toxicity inside of you. It is the same thing 405 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: as gossip. So don't have to say good things, but 406 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: you can just refrain from saying bad things, and then 407 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: you'll be feeding your more forgiving side rather than you're 408 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: angry and upset side. And checking with yourself is your 409 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,159 Speaker 1: pride taking over, because sometimes that can weaken your efforts 410 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: to forgive as well by making you feel entitled and inflated, 411 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 1: like I deserve this. This person did wrong to me, 412 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,360 Speaker 1: so I'm going to wait until they come groveling back 413 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: to me ten times and saying sorry ten times, and 414 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: make up for it by doing this, this and this, 415 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: and so you end up being more righteous and sitting 416 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: in your ego rather than sitting in your heart. So 417 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: try and catch yourself when you're acting from that place, 418 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: and try and act from a place of heart and forgiveness. 419 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: There's also this other practice which I've done before when 420 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: I haven't felt like I can talk to the person 421 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: I know I said writing it down, But there's also 422 00:20:55,359 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: imagining sitting in front of that person and practicing saying 423 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: what you would to forgive them, What does it look like, like, 424 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 1: what is the whole situation? Play it out in your head, 425 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 1: because there's been lots of research that shows that when 426 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 1: our brain thinks about forgiving someone and goes through the 427 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: process of forgiving someone, your heart already softens, like you've 428 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:21,479 Speaker 1: almost gone through the entire journey of forgiving someone just 429 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: by imagining it from start to finish, And so it 430 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: just increases your empathy and the likelihood of you feeling 431 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: much better about the situation. And just remember that forgiveness 432 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: is a process. It takes time and patience and determination. 433 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 1: It does not have to happen overnight. Someone's done something 434 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: bad to you, Let them suffer a little bit, okay, 435 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: keep them on their toes. You do not have to 436 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: forgive straight away. But for your own sake, I highly 437 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: recommend forgiving fast, because for your own heart health and 438 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: for your own emotional health, you will feel so much 439 00:21:51,600 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: better for it,