Article: Feeling justified, angry, bitter, and resentful often stops people from forgiveness. Holding on to negative thoughts and feelings doesn’t help you feel better or encourage you to let go. Consciously free yourself from these feelings by not harboring negativity toward other people. While this may not happen all at once, let go little by little.  Forgiveness doesn’t mean you forget what happened or pretend like they didn’t hurt you. Remember that forgiveness is more for you than it is for anyone else. Write a letter to a person without the intention of giving it to them. Write down the situation and why it upset you, then write that you forgive them. Symbolically release your hurt and pain by burning the letter or tearing it up. Empathy is a way to relate to other people. Instead of focusing on yourself, you focus on what another person is thinking and feeling so that you can understand them better. Place more focus on understanding the experiences of others to build empathy. For example, imagine what it would be like to live somebody else’s life - with all of their circumstances - and how that would make you feel. You’ll undoubtedly meet people you disagree with or don’t get along with. Instead of digging your heels in further to defend your own thoughts and opinions, hear theirs out. Listen closely and seek to understand other people. Spend less time explaining yourself and more time gaining an understanding of someone else. Your ego will tell you to defend yourself or that the other person’s viewpoint is invalid or stupid. Push these thoughts aside and seek to understand the differences more. If you think that you always know best for other people, recognize that this is part of your ego. Even if you disagree with someone, don’t feel the need to tell them what to do or give them advice. While it’s nice to be helpful, don’t be pushy. If you want to provide your opinion or advice, first ask, “Can I give you my opinion?” or, “Would you like some advice?”
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Forgive people who have wronged you. Empathize with others. Be open to other opinions and viewpoints. Stop trying to control other people.