Holding A Grudge Is Bad For Your Health

From the wise Nelson Mandela:

"Holding grievances and resentments is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemy."

In other words, when you don't forgive, the person you're hurting more than anyone else is yourself. It can permeate your thoughts and taint otherwise joyful experiences. And for what? Punishment against the perpetrator? Over time, the punishment redirects itself inward, while the perpetrator likely gives up and moves on - believing there's really nothing more they can do or say to fix the situation. Or perhaps they don't really care. No matter the situation, you're left with the shorter end of the stick - and a fertile breeding ground for negative emotion.

I could go on and on about the negative effects of added sugar, hydrogenated oils, artificial this and that on our health. I have and will continue to. However, I firmly believe anger and stress are far, far worse for us than any food is. No leafy green can cure those.

Now, I fully recognize that a lot more than a lack of forgiveness contributes to anger and stress. I'm also aware that some things are a lot easier to forgive than others. I'm not suggesting this is snap-your-fingers easy. But it's really worth thinking about. And if you can...

Forgive not to alleviate their suffering; forgive to alleviate yours. And think of it not as a sign of weakness, but as a tremendous source of freedom and empowerment.