Let It Go

Forgiving ourselves for hurting another is easier if we first make amends-thus giving our inner selves a “moral okay,” according to Baylor University psychology researchers.

The research, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, is significant because previous studies show that the inability to self-forgive can be a factor in depression, anxiety, and a weakened immune system, researchers said.

“One of the barriers people face in forgiving themselves appears to be that people feel morally obligated to hang on to those feelings. They feel they deserve to feel bad. Our study found that making amends gives us permission to let go,” said one researcher.

By making amends, individuals may be able to “pay for their wrongs.”