Holding Grudges and Why They Hold Us Back
The cost of holding a grudge and how to set yourself free!
There was a time in my life when an ex-boyfriend really hurt me. I was wounded emotionally and had a very hard time letting it go. I was so angry and extremely bitter for a long time. A friend of mine had noticed how these negative feelings were affecting me. One night, he told me something that stuck with me to this day: “Forgiveness isn’t for him, it is for you”. I was carrying the weight of a grudge and it was really dragging me down. He explained to me that forgiveness is not for the other person, it is for us. It allows us to let go of that negative energy and start our subsequent relationships with a clean slate and an open heart.
After that experience and a lot of reflection, my mindset changed. I don’t believe in holding grudges anymore. Especially when it comes to my family. I am afraid that if I hold a grudge and stop talking to a loved one because of an argument, something will happen to them. Then I wouldn’t have a chance to rebuild our relationship. “Life is too short” as the old cliche says, and we never know when it will be the last time we speak to someone.
Holding a grudge weighs us down emotionally. It affects our mental and physical health, and burdens our lives in ways we are too stubborn to notice.
