How do you react when you are hurt (emotionally) by someone else? Do you store up anger, and feel upset for days, weeks, months or years?  Believe it or not, some people go through a lifetime of resentment, being unable to shift out of feeling upset. Here are 3 tips for forgiving a person who has hurt you.
Tip #1–Ask yourself if the person who hurt you is mentally impaired. If you have been attacked or hurt by a person with addiction, psychiatric disorders, or other impairments, it is helpful to tap into any feelings of compassion for that person. Of course, it is not easy. However, the mentally ill person may have been severely abused as a child, and  may abuse others  as a result of their trauma.

Tip # 2–Acknowledge your anger, hurt or any other feelings. Write your feelings and thoughts in a journal or diary, or talk with a friend or therapist.  Discuss your feelings with the person who hurt you, if they are receptive or able.  If these steps do not work, it may be helpful to acknowledge your feelings, explore any childhood experiences of being hurt that may be activated, and honor your need to heal from being attacked or mistreated. For many, it is necessary to grieve the symbolic or actual loss before true forgiveness can be reached.

Tip #3–Read up on the concept of forgiveness. From what I have learned, forgiveness does not mean that you condone the hurtful behavior of the other person. Rather, it means that you release the anger, and perhaps, explore if there are any positive aspects of this unfortunate experience. This is not an easy journey, and honoring your feelings of anger and hurt is the first step toward healing and moving on.