IT'S EASTER... WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE?

Deborrah Ashley, the Authority Positioning Strategist, here to share some thoughts with you around forgiveness.

As I reflect on Easter and what it means to me, FORGIVENESS comes to mind.

Let me begin by clarifying what forgiveness means...

Wikipedia’s definition for Forgiveness

The mental, and/or spiritual process of ceasing to feel resentment, indignation or anger against another person for a PERCEIVED offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution.

Think about all the “issues” you’ve been holding on to because ____ (fill in the blank with their name(s) because) hurt your feelings, stole your whatever, called you whatever, left you, etc.

My “AHA” moment FINALLY came within a few hours of sharing the story with my friend. I only had to take a step back out of “being the victim” to notice a PATTERN that is so similar to mine.

Forgiveness is a hard thing to give because forgiveness of another human being involves having to forgive YOURSELF for your role in the situation or relationship.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It's a lot easier to withhold forgiveness and remain the victim or martyr.

So we all have/had that person, we are extremely loyal to, that person we can call if needed who will be there (even if they have to fly across the country) without question.

As a person who cherishes the SELECT PEOPLE I call friend, whenever I feel slighted or taken for granted, it bothers me but I don't speak up immediately.

This might be the LEO in me because if it continues to happen, my happy and playful demeanor shifts and I go cold and tend to put up a wall.

I guess you could say my “roar” comes out as part of my survival instinct.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The OLD SKIN has to be shed before the new one can come.

~Joseph Campbell

This week has been a whirlwind of “aha” moments for me. I was telling a friend about a situation with a guy friend of mine. Let's call him Mr. X.

Mr. X is a really open, warm nice guy but things changed. He suddenly become distant after I shared with him a big change in my life that was taking place.

We went from talking mostly every day to barely talking. Although I knew it was a reaction to the change in my life, I was still trying to maintain our friendship.

So now a SIGNIFICANT amount of time has passed. I was telling my friend that months later we talked and although Mr X is happy to reconnect, this cool (meaning not warm) attitude steps in.

Just this week, I spoke with Mr. X and it was great in the beginning and then the wall came up and I called him on it.

MY 'AHA' MOMENT

My “AHA” moment FINALLY came within a few hours of sharing the story with my friend. I only had to take a step back out of “being the victim” to notice a PATTERN that is so similar to mine.

I was able to see things based on what they really are and not based on how I feel about them. I made the connection....

???How do/would you react if a friend lets you down with no explanation?

• What could he have been thinking, as I gave him the UNEXPECTED news?
• Could it have opened up an unresolved issue from his past?
• What could he be feeling as I reacted to and questioned possible motives just recently?

Whether you celebrate Easter this Sunday or acknowledge the Resurrection, we can all benefit from the gift that forgiveness can gives us.

WAKE up.

LET it go.

TRULY move forward.

There are amazing things waiting for you, but there is no space in your heart to accept it if you’re still dealing with unresolved issues.

You have to forgive to MANIFEST something better......

What will you do to forgive today so that something special enter your life?

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

PLAIN AND SIMPLE

I didn’t write this note to spark a debate on Easter or Catholicism or Christianity or Judaism or ___ (fill in the blanks).

I’m sharing MY THOUGHTS on forgiveness with you because if you’re like me and have some unresolved issues, today is a GREAT DAY to get it resolved and start fresh.

A very Happy Easter to you and your Family!!

ABOUT DEBORRAH ASHLEY

Deborrah Ashley helps people, typically the best kept secret in their industry, become highly sought-after and highly regarded industry experts who attract the lucrative opportunities so they can command top dollar in their industry.

She also works with company executives to develop a powerful online presence so they can attract top talent, partners and joint venture opportunities.

With over 20 years in marketing and business development, she has worked with clients from the Temple Small Business Development Center, Ideal Image Development Corporation, Hair Club For Men, and Neiman Marcus.