Forgiveness
Positive affirmation for the day — day 9 — On making mistakes
This is part of a daily series about positive affirmations and how they can benefit our lives.
Affirmation of the day:
“I forgive myself for mistakes I made and I refuse to hold them against myself.”
Explanation
We all make mistakes. It is part of being human. Sometimes we punish ourselves for these mistakes, over and over, and it prevents us from moving forwards and growing. So the purpose of this affirmation is to remove this obstacle to growth.
The proverbial phrase ‘To err is human’ is often heard in its fuller form ‘To err is human; to forgive, divine.’ This is the notion that the English poet Alexander Pope, was trying to convey. In his poem “An Essay on Criticism, Part II” , 1711. Pope explains that, while anyone can make a mistake, we should aspire to do as God does, that is, show mercy and forgive sinners:
“Ah ne’er so dire a Thirst of Glory boast, Nor in the Critick let the Man be lost! Good-Nature and Good-Sense must ever join; To err is Human; to Forgive, Divine.”
It is not only others that we should be willing to forgive. It also applies to forgiving ourselves. The Catholic church does not hold a monopoly on the concept of forgiveness!
This is not to say we should dodge responsibility for our actions, just to say that we should avoid the negative mindset that makes us punish ourselves through guilt, if we are willing to make amends and to try and do better. Forgiving ourselves removes an obstacle to personal growth.
Part of the purpose of a daily affirmation is to make a fresh start and improve on the past, about using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to form new neural pathways to create the future we want:
I hope you found this affirmation useful and do share any of your own that you find helpful in the comments.
Previous tips:
Day 1 tip: Strong and capable
Day 2 tip: An opportunity to grow
Day 3 tip: Building resilience
Day 4 tip: Being human
Day 5 tip: Setting boundaries
Day 6 — Feeling good
Day 7 — Being worthy
Day 8: Making a new start — the past does not dictate the future
For more information on the power of positive affirmations:
