1. Focus on your emotions.

It’s human nature to spend time and energy replaying our mistakes. While some processing is important, going over what happened again and again won’t allow you to forgive yourself.

When you catch yourself playing the “I’m a horrible person” tape, stop yourself and focus on one positive ac...

If your first response to a negative situation is to criticize yourself, it’s time to show yourself some kindness and compassion. The only way to begin the journey to forgiveness is to be kind and compassionate with yourself.

This takes time, patience, and a reminder to yourself that you’r...

If the mistake you made hurt another person, you need to determine the best course of action. Do you want to talk to this person and apologize?

If you’re on the fence about what to do, you might want to consider making amends. This goes beyond saying sorry to a person you’ve hurt. Instead,...

We are our own worst critics, right?

One important action tip is to notice when that harsh voice comes in and then write it down. You might be surprised by what your inner critic actually says to you.

Making peace and moving forward is often easier said than done. Being able to forgive yourself requires empathy, compassion, kindness, and understanding. It also requires you to accept that forgiveness is a choice.

Here are 12 tips you can try the next time you want to forgive yourself.

If you make a mistake but have a hard time putting it out of your mind, Pickell says to visualize your thoughts and feelings about the mistake going into a container, such as a mason jar or box.

Then, tell yourself you are putting this aside for now and will return to it if and when it wil...

Oftentimes, it’s easier to tell someone else what to do than to take our own advask yourself what you would tell your best friend if they were sharing this mistake they made with you, and then take your own advice.

If you’re having a difficult time working through this in your head, it can ...

If you make a mistake and continue to struggle with letting it go, acknowledge out loud what you learned from the mistake.

When you give a voice to the thoughts in your head and the emotions in your heart, you may free yourself from some of the burdens. You also imprint in your mind what yo...

Englander says to think of each “mistake” as a learning experience that holds the key to moving forward faster and more consistently in the future.

Reminding ourselves that we did the best we could with the tools and knowledge we had at the time, will help us forgive ourselves and move for...

Journaling can help you understand your inner critic and develop self-compassion. Write out a “conversation” between you and your inner critic. This can help you identify your thoughts and will help you forgive yourself

You can also use journaling time to make a list of the qualities you l...

If you’re struggling to forgive yourself, you may benefit from talking to a professional. Talking to a counselor who can help you learn how to break these unhealthy patterns in your life and learn new and healthier ways of coping with mistakes.