Forgiveness

You are a Badass Deck, by Jen Sincero — It’s time to get mighty clear about what makes you happy and what makes you feel the most alive, and then create it instead of pretending you can’t have it.

The cards in this deck were created from a book You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life.

Happiness is important in life

it won't always be that way

but when it is, enjoy the day

There will be strife

from time to time

but it will pass

as this little rhyme

sometimes fast adding a bit of gas

and sometimes slow, maybe with sass.

DO THINGS YOU LOVE - Look at your life and see where you're letting yourself down. If you hear yourself saying things like "I love going out to see live music! I can't remember the last time I did it," make time. We're all busy, but it's the people who make enjoying their lives a priority who, um, enjoy their lives. Really listen to how you speak and pay attention to what you do, and make a conscious effort to increase your joy in whatever capacity you can. Jen Sincero

A few months ago, my friend asked if I was interested in going to a play in Duluth. We had talked about attending a retreat and that had been canceled. I agreed and she ordered the tickets. My husband isn't the type of guy who enjoys theatre.

Because I attended so much theatre before I was married to my husband now. I thought I had a lifetime's worth of theatre. But only a couple weeks before this, I heard myself saying I missed some things I did before my marriage to him. And if I had the chance I was going to do them.

This was my chance. A few years ago, I went to another theatre event with my children and a couple musical events with my daughter. Not enough in the last several years but it's a start.

Forgiving someone isn't about being nice to them, it's about being nice to yourself. Jen Sincero

When I started in recovery, I had a sponsor who after listening to me talk about all the resentments I carried said to me, "Read this and then I want you to start to pray for those people you have resentments against. And I think you should start with your husband."

Wow, I thought she was crazy! I thought maybe I should start with her. Then I told her that and she laughed. Okay, I will start with my husband. She said to pray for him like I wanted the things I wanted for myself for him. Oh, she was asking for too much!

So then I told her how I thought I could pray for him. I said, "Take care of that as-hole!" She surprised me by saying, "That is good, now do that for a couple of weeks." I said I wasn't going to be struck down for saying that. She said that I wouldn't.

She said Creator/God already knows how I talk and think, it is just important to ask. After a couple of weeks, I was no longer saying as-hole. I was asking for good things to come to him. I was feeling better and wasn't thinking about all the negatives.

When I was feeling better, I tried it on others. It worked. I was no longer carrying around all those negative thoughts and feelings! When I have a resentment now, I put that person on my resentment prayer list. I very seldom have anyone there on that list.

What a gift to me. What a relief to not regret the past or want to close that all off to never again think about that person or that time. There is almost always something positive that comes out of it, even if it is our children. Or fun times when we were doing well.

Some forgiveness lessons are irreplaceable.