Hello!
We often think of forgiveness as this pseudo spiritual concept that is only about personal hurt from personal relationships and accepting apologies and saying I’m sorry from and to loved ones.
Forgiveness is not limited to personal relationships on the home or family front.
It’s to do with every aspect of your life. There are Five Vital Venues of Life™ and forgiveness is essential in each one.
Self – forgiving your self [daily] is essential and must happen first
Relationships – this venue is where most of us think forgiveness belongs
Home – forgiving all family members or other individuals connected to our home life is necessary if we’re to have a peaceful home life
Work/Business/School – This is where forgiveness is ignored the most. It’s where – because we spend so much time here – many benefits await if we choose to forgive and release the weight of bad relationships
Community/POW – In the community and our place of worship we get to practice and spread the joy and power of forgiveness to change the world.
Let’s look at the work venue. If your work is not a place you show up to but rather a business you run or service you provide, the forgiveness conversation still applies. If your work is school, it applies there as well. Work is considered your means to a living – and for students that primarily is about school.
So in the work venue, let’s say there is a person you interact with daily and this person really gets on your last nerve, daily. This agitation leads to a certain amount of frustration at one extreme and indifference at another: Either one and all in between are distracting emotions to have when creativity, productivity and team work would benefit you most.
So how do you move from finding this person annoying to accepting them as perhaps an eccentric part of your life but a part that has value in some way?
You start with accepting that something needs to change about the relationship.
I can not convince you to forgive a person or situation. No one can. But once you have decided that something must change, the work that follows the decision becomes much easier.
So first, ►decide to move forward to a better relationship.
[This decision is most powerful when it is based on the realization that NOTHING is worth robbing you of your peace and joy or your productivity and creativity. To this end, moving forward is really the only choice. What’s the alternative? Not dealing with this person at all? Even if that were possible – in the work environment it seldom is as teamwork is at a high premium; but even if it were possible, moving relationships forward through forgiveness is infinitely more rewarding that just cutting people off. Granted sometimes that might be needed but it is not the norm.]
Then ► reflect on what it is about this person that gets you going. When did the relationship go south? If there was something specific done or not done, try to remember the details as best you can.
Ask yourself:
- Can I see these any details any differently today? How so?
- Is there any space in my perspective for me having some responsibility for the event? How so?
- If this person was someone I liked, how would I view this situation?
- What is it about this person that reminds me of something else in my life – past or present?
- If I saw this person as a child who has been hurt by others and is now protecting him/her self, how would my view of the situation change?
- What would change in my work environment if we got along?
- What would change about my output if we got along?
- How would I advice my child or someone I mentor to handle this situation?
Next ►Write and review your answers to the preceding questions.
What are you willing to do differently about your view of this person?
Finally ► Take 3 minutes and perform this forgiveness ceremony:
1. Say out loud “Today I decide to release ALL my _________ toward ________” [some choices…anger, guilt, hurt, shame, bitterness, etc]
2. Write this statement on paper
3. Burn or shred this piece of paper
4. Say a prayer of choice as the paper burns or is shredded
5. Sit still and listen to your inner divine voice
6. Imagine yourself interacting with this person in a light and easy way
7. End with this statement: “I have released ALL _______________ toward ___________ and I am grateful for my forgiving heart.”
I suggest you do this ceremony daily or as many times as needed until steps #6 and # 7 are effortless.
For further forgiveness work, please see the daily forgiveness ritual here.
I challenge you to forgive someone at work today. You will be richly rewarded for your effort and plus, it’s just such a wonderful thing to do! 🙂
Wishing you an abundance of success,
♥~