Is forgiveness a secret key to happiness and health?
By Happiness Correspondent
Yes it may be difficult but could forgiveness be the secret to better happiness and health?
In a brilliant new podcast UK doctor Dr. Rangan Chatterjee sits down with top psychologist Dr. Frederic Luskin to explore the transformative power of forgiveness.
Click here to listen https://drchatterjee.com/a-proven-prescription-for-health-and-happiness-why-being-able-to-forgive-improves-your-physical-mental-wellbeing-with-dr-fred-luskin/
Dr. Luskin, the Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects, has spent decades teaching people how to live happier and more fulfilled lives through forgiveness, gratitude, and meditation.
His groundbreaking book, "Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness," offers startling insights into the healing powers and medical benefits of forgiveness.
In his book and work Dr Luskin has said: “Forgiveness helps people control their emotions so they maintain good judgment. They do not waste precious energy trapped in anger and hurt over things they can do nothing about. Forgiveness acknowledges we can’t change the past. Forgiveness allows us not to stay stuck in the past.”
In the episode, Dr. Luskin explains how past hurts are stored in our bodies, leading to physical stress, increased pain perception, and a higher risk of depression and anxiety.
However, those who practice forgiveness experience lower blood pressure, a more relaxed nervous system, and more open and trusting relationships.
While acknowledging the difficulty of forgiveness, Dr. Luskin argues that it is a choice and a skill anyone can learn.
He provides practical strategies for letting go of grudges and resentments, emphasizing the importance of feeling and processing emotions without being consumed by them.
Dr. Chatterjee, himself a firm believer in the power of forgiveness, agrees that it is an undervalued human skill that can trigger a cascade of rewards.
