00:00:00:00 - 00:00:09:07 [Unknown] What's today's topic? How should we address it? 00:00:09:09 - 00:00:42:15 [Richard Hoffman] Hi, Richard Hoffman here. Today, I want to discuss forgiveness. In our last session, we spoke about the willingness to let go of resentment and hatred, replacing them with positivity. However, one of the toughest things to let go of is justified resentment. So, I want to delve deeper into forgiveness. 00:00:42:17 - 00:01:05:04 [Richard Hoffman] During my treatment, my clinicians often pointed out my anger, but I never understood why, as I never felt angry. I realized I equated anger with rage, and unless I was visibly enraged, I didn't believe I was angry. They saw through that and explained I needed to learn forgiveness to manage my internal anger more healthily. 00:01:05:06 - 00:01:42:12 [Richard Hoffman] They tried to help by proposing the idea that everyone does the best they can with what they have. I disagreed initially, arguing that my parents, who were educated, could have educated themselves on better parenting. Eventually, I realized that this argument leads us nowhere; the key was to accept that maybe, given their circumstances, that was the best they could manage. 00:01:42:14 - 00:02:07:11 [Richard Hoffman] I challenged this by reflecting on my life, clearly recalling instances where I knew I hadn't done my best. Yet, this therapy suggested everyone invariably does their best. It seemed like an impractical generalization which I couldn't accept, highlighting the complexity and personal nature of forgiveness. 00:02:07:13 - 00:02:29:11 [Richard Hoffman] Forgiving others, particularly for deep hurts, involves embracing the idea, however complex, that they might have done their best under their specific conditions. This doesn't excuse their actions but aims to liberate us from the hold of persistent resentment. 00:02:29:13 - 00:03:06:01 [Richard Hoffman] So, what is forgiveness? It’s recognizing that holding onto anger is more harmful to ourselves than to the offender. It’s an internal process aiming to free us, not the other person. This mental and emotional liberation is essential for personal peace and moving forward. 00:03:06:03 - 00:03:29:08 [Richard Hoffman] Conclusively, forgiveness isn't about condoning actions or forgetting them, it's about releasing ourselves from ongoing suffering. It’s a complex journey that often begins with admitting pain and ends with choosing peace over resentment. Next time, we’ll discuss practical steps to cultivate forgiveness and its impact on our overall well-being. [End of transcript]