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How to forgive yourself for past mistakes?

109 Answers
Last Updated: 05/03/2021 at 1:25pm
How to forgive yourself for past mistakes?
Perfect therapy for people who need help. I would like to say, I never can imagine it could be possible to heal people like that
Ta Tania
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Kelly Brast, MA, LPC-S, LSOTP, CART

Licensed Professional Counselor

Life can be overwhelming sometimes. I specialize in helping people organize their thoughts, getting rid of the things holding them back, and finding a path to a better future.

Top Rated Answers
Luckyhottubsandwhiches
May 27th, 2016 2:34am
It's hard, but you have to be ready to forgive and forget. What's happened in the past has made yourself who you are today and that's all that matters, we're all human and we all make mistakes
alwaysafriend4u
May 27th, 2016 10:55am
you can forgive yourself for past mistakes in 3 steps: 1. recognizing that you made a mistake / admitting the mistake is the greatest step. 2. create/ try to have improving experience where the mistake circumstances are similar. 3. act in the improving experience , this time without the mistake , with a lot of positive feelings resulting for take away. inside your mind you would disassociate the mistake from any negative feelings - for good.
MysteriouslyWonderful21
May 27th, 2016 7:56pm
A big part of forgiveness is acceptance. Accept what you have done and use it as a way to improve your life in the future. Through this process, those things that seemed negative, can turn into a positive.
Dreamer2626
May 31st, 2016 7:14pm
Past mistakes happened in the past and can unfortunately not be changed or altered. While it is difficult to forget about, you can see it as an opportunity for growth by learning from it and moving forward. Nobody's perfect. Everybody makes mistakes and that's how we learn and improve :)
J4nne
June 1st, 2016 12:30pm
Everyone makes mistakes and making mistakes is okay. Instead of blaming yourself for the mistakes you've made try to learn from those mistakes. Making mistakes is a way of learning to get to know yourself and your surroundings.
caterina9999
June 2nd, 2016 6:17pm
By realizing that you're human and humans make mistakes. It's normal. It's natural. It's healthy. Instead of mourning over what you've done, try not to repeat the same mistakes again
SmellyCat89
June 3rd, 2016 5:11pm
Breathe in, take a moment, reflect, and let it pass. Dwelling in the past will only ruin your tomorrow. Everyone is free to go on without guilt.
Cherishlife20
June 3rd, 2016 7:54pm
Maybe ponder over what I did from the start and make a mental note of what led to it. Then realise the situation I would have been in. I must have been in such a terrible situation where I would have committed that mistake and the fact that I'm sorry itself copes to it. It might not be easy to forgive myself but there's no magic. ☺
TeenWolf
June 4th, 2016 8:50pm
You need to just sit down and think about it first then do something nice for your self for making this brake threw :)
LittleBecky
June 5th, 2016 7:33am
Remember that you're just a human. We make mistakes, and that's OK. That's normal, what's important is that we take those mistakes and turn them into good things, things to look at in the future and think, wow, I overcame that. You're only human, don't be so hard on yourself.
Castielsendshelp
June 9th, 2016 5:26pm
I had a lot of stress and I solved it with writing down my thoughts, it really helped me to accept myself and that I am actually great
Anonymous
June 9th, 2016 11:38pm
the easiest way i have found is to let go of the past. yes it is hard yes it takes time. but overall if you keep holding on your limiting your potential to things that are only holding you back
moonchild29
June 11th, 2016 6:40am
Accept what has happened and that it is in the past, so there is nothing you can do about it anymore. You can, however, do something for the present and future time. Forgive yourself for not being able to do more than what you've done, because it's necessary in order to move on.
Anonymous
June 11th, 2016 9:37am
If you didn't do it on purpose to hurt yourself or others. Don't punish yourself. Your intentions were pure. To forgive yourself for a past mistake you have to remember that although hindsight is 20/20. What has been done can't be undone. The only reason you're focusing on the past mistake is because the mistake feels like you've took taken the wrong step when you tend to get it right. You can take a step back to the place that feels right and at least now you know where the wrong step is and how to avoid it.
Anonymous
June 16th, 2016 9:05am
By letting go the past and accepting the fact that you cannot change what has already happened. But you can change what will happen. There's a saying, yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. But today is a gift. That is why its called PRESENT.
Anonymous
June 20th, 2017 4:27am
Remind yourself that you are not who you were when you made those mistakes, and that you have grown as a person. You are awesome, and what's in the past is done and cannot be taken back. Strive to be better than you were yesterday. Work towards being a better person, and in time, you'll be able to forgive yourself.
Anonymous
March 30th, 2016 3:38pm
What's done is done, wasting time on it will just put you off more. Look forward and keep moving. Don't look back. You can't change the past, but you can change your future. Good luck!
CaringPuppy1
April 7th, 2016 12:28pm
Accept that everyone is human and makes mistakes. None of us are perfect. We just do the best we can.
Anonymous
April 13th, 2016 1:34pm
Try to understand that anything you've done wasn't solely your fault. Anyone involved has already forgiven you.
amazingButterfly31
April 15th, 2016 8:48am
None off us can. Change our past . In order to move on look to the future we must forgive a pass mistakes and have belief in our self's
sweetkitten99
April 17th, 2016 11:29pm
you just forgive yourself for past mistakes and you realize or discover that everyone makes mistakes. some mistakes are worse than others. but whatever your past mistakes are, i'm sure that with time, you'll be able to learn to forgive yourself for past mistakes. it starts with you, the person who made those mistakes and it extends outwards. forgive, but never forget
Bettershapes
April 22nd, 2016 4:54pm
Always know that everyone makes mistakes and the majority of the time, there is nothing you can do about it besides accept it and move on. If you really think about it, will that mistake matter in 5 years? No probably not. Honestly, we are our own worst critic. No one cares what kind of mistakes you make and you might be the only one that's worried about it. Take a step back and think about weather or not it will really matter, or if anyone else really cares. EVeryone makes mistakes, we're only human.
JK8287
April 28th, 2016 8:42pm
See the past as destiny, the future as free will, and the present moment as divinity. This is the most practical attitude, because it saves the mind from regret, but maintains your dynamism. When we see the past as free will, we wallow in negativity and sabotage our future!
callizo96
April 29th, 2016 8:26pm
Whatever's done is done. We can't dwell on our past and our mistakes any more. You can't hate yourself for ever.
sid8080
April 30th, 2016 2:36am
realise that past is just a past and its over alwz think tht you have learn from your istake it teach you something so that your life will be better just move on life is all about ups and down and past have both memories learn from mistake and cherish good things
healingPower86
April 30th, 2016 5:24am
Making peace with yourself by taking care of you. Getting the right amount of sleep. And food and exercise
lavieestbelle95
April 30th, 2016 5:46am
Sometimes I still think about them too. But I realize that it is not important anymore.. or not as important as the present, so normally when my present life overwhelms me, I don't really find my past (past mistakes, especially) matters much. I think time really does heal.
AmeythstMagenta
May 1st, 2016 12:51am
To forgive yourself for past mistakes you need to let go of your anger and guilt that you feel. You must not blame yourself for what happened and try to move forwards with your life, rather than keep looking back. You must also learn from the mistake, and try harder to be a better person.
TheFallenOne14s
May 1st, 2016 12:38pm
past is past and matters is the present, for better future to come, and if not for those mistakes we wouldn't learn how to be better in the present
hereforyouanytime111
May 1st, 2016 1:23pm
The first step to forgiving your self is to accept the past is the past what has happened cannot be changed,