| Cheating is one of those things that has always been | | | | go of it try this. Write it down on a slip of paper. |
| a bit of a taboo. It has gained a little more social | | | | Attach the slip to a helium balloon string. Let the |
| acceptance in the modern age but there is still the | | | | balloon go and watch it fly away. As it gets further |
| wide knowledge of just how damaging it can be to | | | | and further away envision your guilt doing the same |
| the family unit and how much it hurts the people we | | | | thing. |
| love. Knowing this makes it very difficult for good | | | | Benefits of Forgiving Yourself |
| people to forgive themselves for cheating. | | | | 1) Less Stress - who couldn't use a lower daily dose |
| Are you going through the inner dialog in your mind? | | | | of stress in your life? Believe it or not though |
| Are you asking the question: "How do I forgive | | | | removing the weight of self anger from your plate |
| myself for cheating?" over and over again? While it | | | | can reduce your overall stress levels. |
| won't make you feel much better, most people who | | | | 2) Lower risk for depression - forgiving yourself |
| cheat really are good people at heart. | | | | allows you to be happy without being ashamed and |
| Even good people do bad things on occasion. It's hard | | | | that will help you feel less depressed and embrace |
| to believe but they do. And, just like you, they have | | | | life more fully in the future. |
| a hard time forgiving themselves when they do. | | | | 3) Happier and healthier relationships - whether you |
| How to Forgive Yourself | | | | work things out with your spouse or move on to |
| 1) Acknowledge what you've done. You'll never be | | | | new relationships the truth is that they will all benefit |
| able to forgive yourself as long as you are hiding | | | | by you learning to forgive yourself. |
| from what you've done. Acknowledge it. Own it. | | | | 4) Frees up your mind from things that are weighing |
| Admit it was wrong. Move on. | | | | you down - don't you feel held back? Can you |
| 2) Accept that you are an imperfect being. As much | | | | imagine how much more you would achieve if you |
| as we'd all like to think we are the personification of | | | | could release the guilt and embrace forgiveness from |
| perfection we are still mere mortals. Accept that. | | | | yourself and from others? |
| Embrace that. Know that you can do bad things | | | | 5) Improved self-worth - one of the worst things |
| without being a bad person. | | | | that guilt does to people is that it robs you of your |
| 3) Let go of the guilt. It sounds so simple doesn't it? | | | | self-worth. Take back control over you by learning to |
| But, it really is that simple. Let it go and stop taking it | | | | forgive yourself. |
| back. If you need something symbolic to help you let | | | | |