
If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to practise self-forgiveness and you have not yet implemented this act, know that it is never too late to start.
Forgiving yourself is crucial. However, it is not an easy task to participate in.
“Everyone makes mistakes, but learning how to learn from these errors, let go, move on, and forgive yourself is important for mental health and well-being,” says Verywell Mind, a publication specialising in mental health and wellness. Calm – an information hub which prioritises the feelings of calmness in life – also adds that forgiving yourself is not about skipping over the pain but rather learning from your experiences.

If you would like to start your positive journey of self-forgiveness, try the ways listed below.
Practice affirmations for forgiveness
To do this, you first need to know what ‘affirmations’ are. Calm explains that affirmations are positive statements that can help overcome negative thought patterns. Affirmations can also play an important role in developing a forgiving relationship with yourself.
An example of forgiveness affirmations can be, “I release my past and forgive my imperfections,” or “I choose to release guilt and embrace self-compassion.” Calm advises that you practise such affirmations in a quiet, comfortable space at the beginning and end of each day.
Understand your emotions
Verywell Mind notes that becoming aware of your experienced emotions is a crucial part of learning to forgive yourself. “Research has found that identifying and labelling your emotion can help reduce the intensity of your feelings. This can help you better regulate emotions, including those linked to feelings of guilt and shame.”
Show yourself kindness and compassion
It is important that you show remorse for your actions and approach it with self-compassion. Verywell Mind says that the key is to treat yourself with the same kindness that you would show to another person, adding, “Try to avoid being self-critical and instead be compassionate while still acknowledging that you made a mistake and want to do better.”

Schedule worry time
As suggested by Calm, you should try to allocate time in your day to process any worries and concerns you may have. “During this time, allow yourself to reflect on your worries without judgment,” says the information hub. “Give them the space they need to be processed and then move out of worrying time.”
Also see: 5 Ways to help your child build self-confidence in a new school