Follow on Google News News By Tag Industry News News By Place Country(s) Industry News
Follow on Google News | Add "Forgiveness" to the Gift List this Holiday SeasonIn the season made for giving, "forgiving" may be this year's most valuable present. Studies show people are seeking to forgive and benefit from it. In fact there were 673,000 searches in July alone.
By: Scott A. Pete Forgiveness, she suggests, can move people beyond the stressful family dynamics or painful annual memories that so often cloud the holiday season. “Carrying resentment and a grudge anchors people in the pain of the past,” says DeVille. “It takes courage, but facing the hurt and graciously letting it go can bring healing and peace.” DeVille’s own journey toward healing began when tragedy struck her family and culminated in the writing of her just-released book The Path to Forgiveness (www.thePathToForgiveness.com) FORGIVENESS HEALTH FACTS: Expert doctors, psychologists and faith leaders back up DeVille’s contention that forgiveness actually can improve well-being. The Mayo Clinic reported in an issue of Women’s HealthSource (January 2008) that holding a grudge affects the cardiovascular and nervous systems, actually elevating blood pressure and heart rates as well as increasing both muscle tension and feelings of being less in control. Similarly, clinical psychologist Everett Worthington, Jr., professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and pioneer in forgiveness research, has found that people who won’t forgive tend to have more stress-related disorders, lower immune-system function and worse rates of cardiovascular disease than the general population. HOW TO FORGIVE: “Forgiving does not mean “forgetting,” The Mayo Clinic article offered four common steps to forgiveness: 1. Acknowledge the pain and anger. 2. Recognize that healing requires change. 3. Think about the person who caused the pain in a new way, maybe even saying “I forgive you.” 4. Experience the emotional relief that accompanies forgiveness. Because remaining devoted to forgiveness can be difficult in a real-life situation, DeVille hopes to gently remind readers that “Forgiveness is a gift for others, but it is also a gift for you” and that during the holidays, this is especially true. About Michele DeVille Minneapolis- End
Account Email Address Disclaimer Report Abuse
|
|