Why is forgiveness so difficult?… Not only when it comes to others, but when it comes to ourselves?

In this second episode of The Summer Solos, we continue our journey from love into forgiveness, exploring what happens when hurt, regret and guilt take hold, and why some experiences can stay with us long after the moment has passed.

Sometimes we're waiting for an apology that never comes. Sometimes an apology doesn't take away the hurt. And sometimes, the person we find hardest to forgive is the one we see in the mirror.

We explore the weight of past mistakes, the guilt we can carry for years, and the ways we may continue to judge ourselves for things we did when we were younger or didn't fully understand at the time. We also consider the difference between taking responsibility for our actions and punishing ourselves indefinitely.

Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting, excusing hurtful behaviour or pretending that nothing happened. And forgiving ourselves doesn't mean denying the impact of our actions. But could we learn from the past without allowing it to define us forever?

Perhaps the question isn't simply whether we're sorry. Perhaps it's what we do with that regret, what we learn from it, and whether we're willing to offer ourselves the same compassion we might offer someone else.

Join me as we gently explore forgiveness, self-forgiveness, guilt, compassion and the possibility of finding a different way forward.

A question to carry with you:

Is there something, or someone, you've been holding on to, and what might change if you allowed yourself to approach it with a little more compassion?

Continue the conversation...

In the next episode of The Summer Solos, I'll be exploring gratitude; what it means to appreciate the good in our lives, the lessons we've learned, and even the experiences that haven't always been easy.

Perhaps forgiveness creates a little space within us, and gratitude helps us see what we might discover in that space.

Because sometimes, letting go allows us to recognise just how much we have to be thankful for.

Enlightened Connections: The Summer Solos - conversations on healing, for people and pets.

Hosted by Lisa Aston Michael, Medium, Healer & Animal Intuitive.

SOCIALS:

www.lisaastonmichael.com

FB: @lisaastonmichaelofficial

Insta: @lisaastonmichaelofficial

@enlightenedconnectionspodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe as it really helps this podcast to reach those who may benefit from it. Also, you’re most welcome to Buy me a Coffee and there’s a gift for you when you do! Thank you so much. Lisa x

BUY ME A COFFEE LINK:

https://buymeacoffee.com/enlightenedwithlisa

What does it really mean when we say, “I love you”?

We say it to our family, our friends and the people who matter to us. But what happens when things go wrong? When disagreements arise, misunderstandings occur, or someone we love sees things differently from the way we do?

Does love disappear when a relationship becomes difficult? Can we genuinely love someone while choosing to walk away from them? And if we say our love is unconditional, what does that actually look like when we're hurt or disappointed?

In this first episode of Enlightened Connections: The Summer Solos, I explore some of the questions that have led me to reflect on my own understanding of love.

I'll be looking at the difference between the words we use and the actions that follow, what unconditional love might really mean, and the complicated relationship between love and forgiveness.

Because perhaps loving someone and being able to maintain a relationship with them aren't always the same thing. And perhaps forgiveness doesn't necessarily mean reconciliation.

These aren't questions with easy answers, but they're worth exploring. Sometimes, the experiences that challenge our beliefs most deeply are the ones that invite us to look at them differently.

So, let's begin with a question that sounds simple enough, but may be more complicated than we think.

What's love got to do with it?

A question to reflect on

What does love mean to you when things go wrong? Do your understanding of love and your experience of it always align?

I'd love you to carry that question with you after listening.

Thank you for joining me for this first episode of The Summer Solos, a quieter, more personal chapter of Enlightened Connections — conversations on healing, for people and pets.

Continue the conversation...

If this episode has prompted you to reflect on love, you might also enjoy the next episode of The Summer Solos, where I explore forgiveness; what it means to forgive ourselves and others, and whether forgiveness always requires reconciliation.

Because love and forgiveness are often more closely connected than we realise.

SOCIALS:

www.lisaastonmichael.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/LisaAstonMichaelOfficial/

Insta: @lisaastonmichaelofficial

@enlightenedconnectionspodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe as it really helps this podcast to reach those who may benefit from it. Also, you’re most welcome to Buy me a Coffee and there’s a gift for you when you do! Thank you so much. Lisa x

BUY ME A COFFEE LINK:

https://buymeacoffee.com/enlightenedwithlisa