To forgive may be divine， but no one ever said it was easy. When someone has deeply hurt you， it can be extremely difficult to let go of your grudge①. But forgiveness is possible—and it can be surprisingly beneficial② to your physical and mental health.
People who forgive show less depression， anger and stress and more hopefulness. So it can help save on the wear and tear on our organs， reduce the wearing out of the immune system and allow people to feel more vital.
So how do you start the healing？ Try following these steps：
Calm yourself. To defuse your anger， try a simple stress-management technique. Take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure： a beautiful scene in nature， someone you love.
Don’t wait for an apology. Many times the person who hurt you has no intention③ of apologizing. They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way. So if you wait for people to apologize， you could be waiting an awfully long time. Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation④ with the person who upset you or condoning of his or her action.
Take the control away from your offender⑤. Mentally replaying your hurt gives power to the person who caused you pain. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings， learn to look for the love， beauty and kindness around you.
Try to see things from the other person’s perspective. If you empathize⑥ with that person， you may realize that he or she was acting out of ignorance， fear—even love. To gain perspective， you may want to write a letter to yourself from your offender’s point of view.
Recognize the benefits of forgiveness. People who forgive report more energy， better appetite and better sleep patterns.
Don’t forget to forgive yourself. For some people， forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge. But it can rob you of your self-confidence if you don’t do it.
① grudgevt. 怨恨；妒忌；勉强地给；勉强地准许；不情愿做 n. 怨恨；嫌隙；妒忌
② beneficialadj. 有益的；有利的；有帮助的；【律】有权益的；受益的
③ intentionn. 意图，意向，目的；意思，含义
④ reconciliationn. 和解，和好；和谐，一致；调解，调停
⑤ offendern. 冒犯者，惹人生气的人；违法者；犯规的人
⑥ empathizevi. vt. 【心】(使)神入；(使)移情
宽恕与健康
宽恕是神圣的，但是没有人说很容易做到宽恕别人。当你被深深伤害的时候，想要不怀恨在心是很难做到的。但是宽恕是可能的——而且这会给你的身心健康带来出乎意料的益处。
懂得宽恕的人不会感到那么沮丧、愤怒和紧张，他们总是充满希望。所以宽恕有助于减少人体各种器官的损耗，降低免疫系统的疲劳程度并使人精力更加充沛。
那么，如何恢复自己的情绪呢？尝试下面的一些步骤吧：
让自己冷静下来。用一种简单的减压技巧来缓解你愤怒的情绪。做几次深呼吸，然后想想那些令你快乐的事情，比如自然界的美丽景色，或者你爱的人。
不要等别人来道歉。许多时候，伤害你的人没有想过要道歉。他们可能是故意的，也可能只是和你看待事物的方式不一样。所以如果你等着别人来道歉，你可能会等相当长的时间。宽恕并不一定意味着顺从那些让你心烦意乱的人，也不意味着饶恕他或她的行为。
不要让冒犯你的人控制你的情绪。内心里总是想着自己的伤痛，只会给伤害你的人打气。与其老是关注自己受到的伤害，还不如学着去寻找你身边的真善美。
试着从别人的角度来看问问题。如果你站在别人的立场上，你也许会意识到他或她是因为无知、害怕、甚至是爱才那样做的。为了能够站在别人的角度来看问问题，你可以从冒犯你的人的立场给你自己写一封信。
认识到宽恕的益处。懂得宽恕的人精力更旺盛、食欲更好、睡觉更香。
不要忘了宽恕自己。对于有些人来说，宽恕自己才是最大的挑战。但是如果你不宽恕自己，你会失去自信。
