🔍 What is self-forgiveness (and what is it not)?

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❌ What self-forgiveness is not
Forgiving yourself is not about denying responsibility or pretending nothing happened.
It’s not about justifying your actions or minimizing the harm caused.
It doesn’t mean erasing the memory or avoiding the lessons the mistake brought.
And it certainly doesn’t mean that everything you did was okay.

Believing that self-forgiveness equals indulgence or weakness can trap us in guilt, shame, and harsh self-judgment.
But no one heals through rejection. And no one moves forward while constantly beating themselves up over the past.

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✅ What self-forgiveness is
Forgiving yourself means recognizing that, even if you made mistakes or caused harm, that doesn't make you a bad person.
It means understanding that you are human, fallible, and constantly evolving.
Self-forgiveness means taking responsibility without self-destruction.

It is an act of self-love.
It’s about replacing harsh inner criticism with the compassion you would offer someone you truly care about.
It’s about releasing stagnant guilt so you can heal, grow… and move on.

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💭 Common myths about self-forgiveness
One of the most common myths is thinking that forgiving yourself makes you irresponsible or careless.
Another is believing that you must carry guilt forever as a form of punishment.
But chronic guilt doesn’t repair—it weighs you down.
And excessive self-criticism doesn’t improve—it paralyzes.

True change comes from understanding, not from punishment.
As the saying goes:
"Those who do not forgive, do not forgive themselves."
Those who harshly judge themselves often struggle to show compassion to others.

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✅ Final considerations:
🔹 Put down the whip of guilt and embrace the balm of understanding.
🔹 Remember, you too deserve your own forgiveness.
🔹 It’s easier to give healthy love… when you give it to yourself first.

With care,
Dr. Arturo José Sánchez Hernández, your friend in health promotion 💙