Being unable to forgive ourselves is often a symptom of our shame and our fear of inadequacy. We feel our mistakes, wrongdoings and shortcomings are unforgivable. We feel inadequate and undeserving of love, understanding, kindness and forgiveness. We feel unworthy. We carry our shame with us for years of our lives, often for things that have long since passed. Forgiving ourselves is about extending our compassion to ourselves as much as we would want to extend it to others. It’s about understanding our humanity, the inevitability of making mistakes and having regrets.

Try to stop thinking of yourself as this shameful anomaly. You’re like every other human being. You’re infallible and imperfect. Your mistakes are part of your growth. Your regrets make up your story. When you have gotten to a place of deeper healing, you’ll be able to look back at these things and see how they helped to develop your strong character. They contributed to your fortitude and resilience. You will appreciate how they helped form the unique and special person you are. When you look back at your painful times, you’ll be able to see them for all the beauty they hold.

Develop a self-forgiveness practice as part of your regular spiritual practice. Make it a part of your daily routine. Hold your hand over your heart and visualize a light of forgiveness coming from your heart and extending to every part of you. Allow it to cover every mistake, every source of guilt and shame within you, everything you’re having a hard time forgiving. Visualize your higher power extending its grace, compassion and forgiveness to you and every single part of you. Don’t shun the parts of you that are hard to face. Practice having acceptance with them. Hold them in the light.

The more we accept the parts of ourselves that are difficult to confront and forgive, the more we shed our resistance to them. We stop fighting them, and we’re able to come to terms with them. Use affirmations to help you with the forgiveness process. “I forgive myself. I deserve my own compassion and love. I deserve forgiveness. I’m still a good person. My mistakes are a part of my journey. I love myself unconditionally.”

Addiction recovery has a lot to do with learning to love and forgive ourselves. Because we work with you on an individual basis, we get to know you in a real way so that we can help you work through some of these difficult issues. Call 888-570-7154 for more information.