The Wisdom of Forgiveness: Lessons from Ted Lasso

I was curled up on the couch last weekend, a cup of tea in hand, watching yet another episode of Ted Lasso—a show that had somehow, in its quiet, quirky way, nestled itself into my heart. On the surface, it was a light-hearted comedy about an American football coach navigating the absurdity of coaching an English soccer team. But, if you paid attention, it was so much more—a masterclass in humility, kindness, and something I didn’t realize I needed to learn: forgiveness.

The moment came like a whisper, almost easy to miss. Ted, our mustachioed, eternally optimistic coach, was in a conversation with someone who had wronged him deeply. I braced for the typical reaction—the stern talking-to, the dramatic speech, the hurt laid bare. But instead, Ted did something unexpected: he forgave. It wasn’t performative. It wasn’t grudging or reluctant. It was genuine. It was immediate. It was as if he had been waiting to forgive all along.

I felt something shift inside me, something I had been holding onto tightly without realizing it. Forgiveness. It was such a simple word, and yet it felt like a boulder in my chest.

I thought about the people I hadn’t forgiven—people who had hurt me, let me down, or misunderstood me. I thought of all the times I replayed those moments in my mind like a worn-out cassette tape, seeking some resolution that never seemed to come. Forgiveness felt like a weakness to me, a way of saying, "What you did was okay." But watching Ted, I began to see it differently. Forgiveness wasn't a surrender; it was a release.

In one scene, Ted says, “Be curious, not judgmental.” I realized that forgiveness is the ultimate act of curiosity. It is a decision to let go of our need to judge, to condemn, to be right. It is saying, "I don't know why you did what you did, but I am willing to let it go." It is refusing to let our hearts become heavy with the burdens of resentment.

And that’s what struck me: Forgiveness is not about them; it’s about us. It’s about our peace, our ability to move forward, and our willingness to give ourselves the gift of freedom from the past. It doesn’t mean forgetting or condoning—it means choosing to step out of the shadows of hurt into the light of possibility.

I began to think about my own grudges, the people I had quietly sentenced to exile in my mind. Could I find it in myself to be curious, to ask why, to wonder, to see the humanity in them—even when it was hard?

I tried. At first, it felt awkward, like a pair of shoes a size too small. I didn’t want to forgive. I wanted to hold on to my righteous anger, to the stories I had built around my pain. But I realized that every time I clung to that pain, I was tying myself down, limiting my own joy, my own capacity for love and connection.

Forgiveness, as Ted taught me, is not a grand gesture. It's a small, quiet decision made over and over again. It’s the willingness to let go of the stories we tell ourselves and make room for new ones. It is choosing to be free.

So, I decided to give it a try. I began with the small things—the friend who didn’t return a call, the colleague who took credit for my idea. Gradually, I worked my way up to the bigger hurts, the ones that still felt fresh and raw. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t instant, but with each act of forgiveness, I felt lighter and freer.

Ted Lasso, with his sunny disposition and quirky metaphors, taught me that forgiveness is not about erasing the past but about clearing space for the future. It’s about giving yourself permission to heal, to grow, to move forward. And in that small act, in that choice to forgive, we find our greatest strength.

Sometimes, the simplest lessons come from the most unexpected places. For me, it came from a fictional coach with a kind heart and a relentless belief in people's goodness. And for that, I am grateful.

P.S. If this resonates with you, and you’re feeling ready to step into the next chapter of your life with more clarity, peace, and purpose, I have three open spots for 1-on-1 coaching. I’d love to help you navigate your own journey of forgiveness, self-discovery, and empowerment. Feel free to reach out if it feels like the right time for you—or if you know someone who might benefit from a little extra support. We're all in this together, after all.