“I forgive people who hurt me and give people a second chance. I put my sadness behind me and move forward”.

Forgiveness means letting go of hard feelings like anger, sadness, or frustration that happen when you or someone else makes a mistake. It’s saying “Thank you” or “That’s okay” when someone apologises and not staying upset about what they did. It’s having patience with yourself and others, and recognising that no one is perfect—everyone makes mistakes.  It’s letting go of hurt feelings, and moving ahead, ready to do things. It doesn’t mean that all of a sudden what someone did doesn’t hurt or isn’t wrong. It means that you find it in your heart to give the person another chance.

In many ways Forgiveness is about taking power back by “flipping” the mood/situation. I use the analogy of the sparkle jars. Harbouring hurt or anger as a result of someone hurting your feelings can feel like a whirlwind in your tummy but as soon as you forgive it can lead to a sense of calm like when the sparkles fall to the bottom of the jar.

Forgiveness comes within the “Relationships” part of our PERMA model because being able to forgive those around you is one of the building blocks to successful friendship.

Little Life Message: The best revenge is to move on and find your happy.

Forgiveness Activities:

• Take 20 minutes and write about the personal benefits that resulted from a negative incident.
• Think of someone who wronged you recently. Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand their perspective.
• Write a forgiveness letter. You don’t have to send it, but read it to yourself each day for a week.
• If someone hurts or upsets you, try to understand things from their perspective, then think about whether your reaction is hurting them or you.
• Think about all of the picture story books that have at their core, the message of the importance of being able to forgive. Write a list and send to Mrs Kebbell to add to the list on this blog!

Blue Sky, Yellow Kite is a favourite of mine and as I read it I like to stop and infer the many emotions that the characters in this book are feeling due to the actions of the other person.

Elmo didn’t mean to…

I love my new toy by Mo Willems

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson