Love & Forgive Yourself
“Why do I feel so tired all the time? Why do i experience body aches and pains on a regular basis? I work all day but never once receive a word of thanks, I don’t have time to look after myself. It seems like everyone is happy except me, why is all the suffering and pain for me! Is the world really this cruel and selfish? Why can’t I get through this difficult time of my life?”
As she sat in front of me, complaining about what was wrong with her life, I realized she was just one out of the millions of people afflicted with depression. Although we might not realize it, during our lifetimes, all of us tend to experience mild forms of depression that tend to worsen depending on genetic/ environmental factors. This can cause long-term damage to our mind and body. We care about everything and everyone except ourselves. Instead of focusing on ourselves, we tend to spend most of our time thinking about other people’s opinions.
Life is too short. Rather than wasting time thinking about trivial matters, a positive outlook towards life should be adopted. This includes unconditional love and forgiveness for everyone; don’t forget, it’s never too late for a fresh start! Most importantly, don’t forget to love yourself and find inner peace.
A few suggestions that will prove to be a game changer are:
FORGIVE YOURSELF AND OTHERS
One of the most difficult hurdles of life is to find it in your heart to forgive those who caused you pain (whether it be mental/physical or even emotional). The misery of breeding an internal feud continues to exacerbate until you adopt forgiveness, even if they didn’t deserve the apology in the first place. You need to realize that you can not change other people and it’s not your responsibility to judge others and make decisions concerning them. The past is gone forever, so stop living in it. Letting go of any and all expectations will take eradicate disappointment and anger from your life. We have very little control on our life, so we need to stop complaining. It will only result in more pessimism. Therefore, forgive yourself and others. Pray for everyone’s wellbeing and let go of bitter resentment to move forwards in life. After spending some alone time with yourself, and eliminating negative thoughts that make you miserable, you will feel lighter, more positive and relaxed as a whole.
LOVE YOURSELF
Give up perfection. Nothing is perfect. It only results in the creation of anxiety and does not have any significance. Adopt a new perspective; love who you are, old or young, fat or thin ,consider yourself to be the most beautiful. Silence your inner critic, treat your body kindly, and give it rest, comfort and good food. Pamper yourself to the fullest and practice self-care. Remember no one can take care of you better than you can!
LIVE EVERY MOMENT AND SHOW GRATITUDE
Live your life to the absolute fullest. How many of us see the rising sun and say thank you? How many of us feel the fresh air, see the beautiful colors of flowers, hear the birds chirping, the smile of our kids, thank our parents; family and friends? do we enjoy our food and the company around us? Everybody is in a hurry, enslaved to their demanding schedules that leave them with no time to spend on their own or with their families.
Live and feel every moment, it won’t ever be back. Utilize it effectively. Live in the present. Don’t make plans for the future and get lost during the journey. If you intend on enjoying every single day you will be more content. Count the blessings you have and be happy.
LISTEN TO YOUR HEART
Sometimes, we might have to make difficult choices in life. While making a decision, if you ignore any societal pressures and think logically (using not only your heart, but also your brain) you will not be left with any regrets. Do whatever makes you happy; your self-satisfaction and inner peace should be prioritized over everything else.
I AM POSSIBLE
Every individual has a purpose in life; you just need to find yours. It’s time to rewire your thinking, learn from your mistakes and move on in life. All the hardships you went through have made you a stronger person. Now, you can help those who are still struggling to overcome their problems.
Remember “We always look at the mountains ahead of us, forgetting about the mountains behind us, which were equally hard to cross.” This reminds us to live in the moment and celebrate our current achievements, instead of undermining our capabilities.
You have to believe in yourself and actively endeavor to discover your real personality that is somewhere within you, obscured by rusty thoughts, overpowering responsibilities and the day to day stress of life .You should strive to become independent, carefree, self-motivated and open-minded. There is nothing wrong in maintaining your individuality .You should own yourself and become an inspiration for others. Concentrate on your goals, and just remember, nothing is impossible!
Dr. Ayesha Azam Khan