The holidays are here! Although holidays can be joyful, they can also be difficult as people deal with things like financial worries and all the emotional wounds that resurface when families gather. Refusing to forgive can derail your plans for a happy holiday, but learning to forgive can open the door for you to experience true joy, peace, and gratitude. Consider the following four steps as essential as the food you plan to prepare for the holiday 1) recognize that you need to forgive. People often carry around grudges and don’t even realize it until they encounter the person or situation that triggers negative thoughts, 2) Re-think what it means to forgive and value forgiveness, 4) ask for and offer forgiveness– create a two-way street and 5) 

allow the space for you and the person to say what needs to be said.  Free yourself. Forgiveness will benefit you.