“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”
– Paul Lewis Boese
When it comes to confidence and emotional strength, forgiveness is often overlooked. We’re taught to stand tall, be fearless, speak up, push forward—but we’re rarely taught the quiet, soul-shifting power of letting go.
Forgiveness is not an admission that what happened was okay. It’s not about forgetting or excusing. It’s a conscious decision to no longer carry the weight of anger, resentment, or regret. Because the truth is—what happened cannot be changed. But what happens next is entirely in your hands.
Forgiveness Is Not Weakness—It’s Strength!
It takes a strong person to forgive. Weakness clings to the past in fear and bitterness. Strength releases it, not to forget, but to free oneself from being emotionally handcuffed to a moment in time.
Confidence grows not from holding onto pain, but from knowing you can rise above it. When you choose forgiveness, you’re choosing to say:
“I will not let this experience define me. I will define myself.”
That is an empowering state of mind to be in. But how does one get there. Here are some steps I tried and although not easy… and takes a journey to learn and incorporate, but worth it at the end.
- Let Go of the Hurt – Holding onto hurt gives control to others. Forgiving them reclaims your emotional energy.
- Simply Forgive – Forgiving does not mean allow the offense to be repeated again. It simply gives you clarity to set boundaries and decide who deserves access to your life.
- Set Boundaries – once you have forgiven and let go, you leave room for more growth for yourself. Set boundaries in your new space for new dreams and new relationships.
- Love Yourself – People struggle to forgive others and themselves in life. Self- forgiveness is a critical step in rebuilding your self-worth again. You learn to accept you are human, and that learning to make mistakes, to fall and rise again is all part of life.
Enlarge Your Future
We cannot rewrite the past. But we can rewrite the narrative we tell ourselves moving forward. Forgiveness is a conscious decision to enlarge your future —to create room for possibility, peace, and personal growth.
So if you’re on a path to building your confidence, consider this: What are you still carrying that you could set down today? Whose power are you still holding onto? What belief about yourself are you ready to challenge?
“Let forgiveness become your quiet act of rebellion against the pain—and your bold act of belief in yourself.” Rennu Dhillon
