Stuff to Forgive: How a Daily Forgiveness List Can Transform Your Life

Santa’s Coming Soon—Time to Make a List!

The holidays are almost here. Most of us think about what we want, gifts we hope for, and lists of things to buy. But if you want a truly joyful holiday season, why not focus on forgiveness instead? Rather than creating a list of things you want, create a list that will bring real happiness and peace to your life.

Start Your Forgiveness List

We all have things that weigh on our hearts:

Barking dogs in the neighborhood

• Your spouse for not appreciating you enough
• Your kids for making a mess all over the house
• The girl who made fun of your skirt in fifth grade
• The first guy who broke up with you
• Your former "best friend" for dating your ex-boyfriend
• Your aging parent for getting older
• Yourself for creating clutter
• Your friend or neighbor who died unexpectedly
• The deep hurt you feel when you are ignored

Go ahead… make a list. Take ten or twenty minutes and jot down everything you can think of. Nothing is too big or too small. Don’t worry about forgiving anything just yet—just do a brain dump and get it down on paper.

Work Slowly and Gently

Once your list is ready, start forgiving one thing each morning during your daily meditation or prayer. Take it slow. You don’t need to tackle something new every day. Sometimes you may work on the same item for several days. Sometimes you may just stew on it. That’s okay.

Remember: forgiveness is a process. Don’t rush it. Be gentle with yourself, and don't be surprised if the universe gives you a little shove.  It might gift you with a little more information or insight about what you're forgiving.  Or sometimes we get another forgiveness "lesson" that is similar to the issue we're working on.  It's nothing to be upset about.  It's there for your good and overall growth, adding greater understanding to the lesson.  Chances are you'll be gently nudged in ways that will help you tackle each item on your list.  Let it unfold and do the forgiveness work you can as you are ready. 

You’re Doing This for You

Above all, remember that this practice is for you. YOU want peace. YOU want happiness. Every step you take toward forgiveness is a step toward your own freedom and well-being

Want to go deeper into forgiveness?

• Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love. Read it here →

• My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon → | Barnes & Noble → | Balboa Press →

• Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release.

• Receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails and insights to deepen your practice → Sign up here

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free.
— Sue Pipal

 

"Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness" is available at: 

 

amazon.com

barnesandnoble.com

balboapress.com 

Are you really, truly happy?

A Surprising Discovery in a Book Club

When I was in my early 30s, I joined a book club. One meeting, I remarked that it seemed like all the books we had been reading were filled with angst. “Where are the happy people and the happy stories?” I wondered.

I was surprised when my book club friends all looked at me blankly. “Sue, the world is not about happiness,” they said. I was shocked. This was a group of successful career women, many with corporate husbands, lovely homes, and small children cared for by nannies. On the surface, we looked happy—but not so.

The Hidden Struggles Beneath the Surface

As we went around the room, each woman confessed she didn’t feel happy much of the time. They spent most of their lives navigating monstrous “to-do” lists, keeping their households running, excelling at work, and caring for everyone around them.

Beneath their exterior success, they were disappointed in unmet expectations, struggled with feeling unconnected, and often felt distant from family and friends. Every one of them battled fear, rejection, and inadequacy.

Every one of them was secretly bitterly disappointed that their husbands did not love them in the way that they had once hoped they would be cherished and loved, that their bosses and co-workers did not see them as shining saviors for the companies they worked for, that they struggled with feeling unconnected and distant from their closest friends, and were heart-broken to find themselves physically separated from parents and families who often lived significant distances away.

Their lives were a constant state of worry, inadequacy and disappointment.  Each one battled daily with fears of rejection and abandonment.  Each one lived a surface life of success and happiness but underneath resided a deep-seated terror that the gig was about to be up.  Each lived with a terrible and secret fear that their real truth would somehow rise to the surface, and the whole structure they had worked tirelessly to create would shatter to the ground.

The truth is that when the lights go out in the middle of the night and we’re alone with our thoughts, every one of us feels achingly lonely, remorseful and terrified.

What We Really Feel Is Guilt

Much of what we call unhappiness is actually guilt. We feel guilty because we are living separately from God.  Denying that guilt drives us to chase accomplishments, possessions, and the symbols of success.  It’s the pride of self our egos cling to that separates us from knowing our true relationship with God.  And clinging to these trappings, activities, and illusions only moves us further from the peace and joy that are naturally ours. 

It’s by our own choice that we live in unhappiness. 

This is because the “world” is actually structured so that we can be happy.  There is only one thing that we need to do to attain it.  And this one thing is forgiveness.  When we forgive and see everyone else in the world as a valued loveable soul created by God, we begin to learn to chose love over fear.  Over time, continuously choosing love releases the blockages we have built that prevent us from having a relationship with our creator. Life gets easier and happiness grows. 

Forgiveness: The Key to True Happiness

In my book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, I provide many easy-to-use processes that help you forgive anybody and any event in your life—past or present. Develop a daily habit of forgiveness, and watch your life transform from fear to love.

Want to go deeper into forgiveness?

• Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love. Read it here →

• My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon → | Barnes & Noble → 

• Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release.

• Receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails and insights to deepen your practice → Sign up here

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free.
— Sue Pipal

Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness is available at:

Amazon.com

Barnesandnoble.com

Balboapress.com

Abundance Affirmations--Pair them With Forgiveness

The Power of Affirmations

Affirmations are a simple but powerful way to invite abundance into your life. They help reprogram the mind, shift perspective, and open your awareness to opportunities, blessings, and joy that might otherwise go unnoticed. But affirmations work even better when paired with forgiveness.

Why Forgiveness Enhances Abundance

Unforgiveness blocks energy. Holding onto resentment, guilt, or anger can create invisible barriers to abundance—whether that’s peace, love, joy, or even material prosperity. When we forgive, we clear the space in our hearts and minds, making room for the positive energies of life to flow freely.

Daily Affirmations to Pair with Forgiveness

Here are some affirmations to repeat daily, ideally after a moment of self-forgiveness or forgiving someone else:

• I release all that no longer serves me and open to the abundance of love and joy.

• I forgive myself and others, and I am free to receive all good things.

• Every day I attract opportunities, love, and blessings in perfect timing.

• I am worthy of abundance in all areas of my life.

• My heart is open, my mind is clear, and I trust the flow of life.

Bringing It Into Your Daily Life

Pairing affirmations with forgiveness is more than a practice—it’s a lifestyle. Each time you notice resentment, guilt, or judgment creeping in, pause, forgive, and then repeat your affirmations. Over time, this habit transforms not just your mindset, but the energy you project into the world, attracting more of the goodness and abundance you seek.

And Before Bed

Another great affirmation which I use frequently to help me wind down for bed and sleep deeply is a simple meditation.  Breathe in and say "I accept".  Then breathe out and say "the love of God".*  Repeat this over and over.  Again, this is another great tool, but if you want lasting happiness, forgive first and then meditate.  Make forgiveness a permanent part of your bedtime ritual and watch your life change.

*From The Way of Mastery

Sweet Dreams!

Want to go deeper into forgiveness and abundance?

• Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love.

• My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon →

• Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release. View the deck on Etsy →

• Browse more forgiveness tools, art, and daily reminders in our Etsy Shop →

• Want to receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails? Sign up and get insights, tools, and inspiration to deepen your practice of forgiveness → Sign up here

Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness is available at:

amazon.com

barnesandnoble.com

balboapress.com

Made by God.

Recognizing Our Holiness Heals Guilt and Fear

I am made by God.  He created me exactly in His own image.  Therefore I am holy.  I am beloved.  I am perfect in every way.  

"My holiness is my salvation."

"Since my holiness saves me from all guilt, recognizing my holiness is recognizing my salvation.  It is also recognizing the salvation of the world.  Once I have accepted my holiness, nothing can make me afraid.  And because I am unafraid, everyone must share in my understanding, which is the gift of God to me and to the world." --A Course in Miracles  From the review materials for Workbook lesson 39 (see page 97)

When I practice self-forgiveness, I remind myself: I am made by God. I am cherished, precious, and wholly loved. I am only love. There is nothing evil, sinful, or wrong about me. I am perfect in every way. I am part of God.

Guilt is self attack and it is always insane. --Living A Course in Miracles, Jon Mundy

A practice that helps me release guilt and fear is to create an altar to God in my mind. I visualize it as shining white marble, vast and beautiful. I place anything I feel guilty, hurt, or angry about onto this altar and hand it over to the Holy Spirit. He will handle it, wash me clean, and remove my fear.

Want to go deeper into forgiveness?

• Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love.

• My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon →

• Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release. View the deck on Etsy →

• Receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails and insights to deepen your practice → Sign up here

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free.

— Sue Pipal

Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness is available at:

barnesandnoble.com

amazon.com

balboapress.com

A Simple Forgiveness Practice for Everyday Annoyances

A Simple Practice for Small Forgiveness Challenges

Here’s a quick little forgiveness practice that works for most smaller forgiveness challenges. I use this if someone I know well and really love is annoying me momentarily. I also use it on people I barely know—or don’t know at all—when they are annoying me just a little bit.

I forgive you,

I release you,

I bless you with love.

 

How to Use This Forgiveness Prayer

Repeat this over and over, truly feeling yourself blessing and loving the person you are forgiving. It won’t work if you repeat these as empty words. You’ve got to really send the love. 

Feel the Release and Bless with Love

When you feel the charge of annoyance, angry emotion, or hurt dissipate, you are finished!

 

 

Want to go deeper into forgiveness?

• Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love. Read it here →
• My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon →
• Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release. View the deck on Etsy →
• Want to receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails? Sign up and get insights, tools, and inspiration to deepen your practice of forgiveness. Sign up here →

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free.

— Sue Pipal 

 

 

 

 

Forgiveness Removes Guilt

Forgiveness Removes Guilt

I encourage everyone I know to start a daily forgiveness practice. Why? Because when we develop the habit of daily forgiveness, over time our guilt will be removed.

We all carry huge storehouses of unresolved guilt lurking in our subconscious minds. We feel guilty for every lie we've ever told, every unkind thought we've ever had, every person we've ever judged, or rule we've ever broken. We believe we have sinned.

 

The Mother-Lode of Guilt

Over the years, this guilt builds up. However, it pales in comparison to the mother-lode of guilt we create every moment we live apart from God. Living as individuals in our egos and choosing to ignore our true identity and oneness as God’s Son* leaves us with an iceberg of guilt beneath the surface of our conscious minds. Only forgiveness can heal this deep guilt.

Guilt Blocks Our True Inheritance

Without forgiveness, we believe we are unworthy. Guilt blocks our ability to experience the true gifts which are our inheritance from God. These gifts include peace, love, happiness, knowledge, beauty, and abundance.

The Key to Happiness

Here is the key to happiness: do your forgiveness work, and you will be able to live in God’s gifts. Forgive and release guilt, and you will begin to believe yourself worthy of accepting everything that God has to offer.

*Son--The word Son in A Course of Miracles, refers to the collective Sonship, of which we are all a part, having been created by God.  We are all his perfect Son, the Christ.

Want to go deeper into forgiveness?

• Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love. Read it here →
• My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon →
• Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release. View the deck on Etsy →
• Want to receive free weekly forgiveness coaching emails? Sign up and get insights, tools, and inspiration to deepen your practice of forgiveness. Sign up here →

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free.
— Sue Pipal

How Bob Newhart’s ‘Stop It’ Sketch Teaches Us to Let Go of Judgment

Bob Newhart’s Timeless Wisdom on Judgment

I recently attended a seminar in which Jon Mundy spoke. He mentioned how he is often asked about judgment—how to stop judging others. He reminded me of an old Bob Newhart episode that really puts things into perspective.

Just Stop It! The Power of Simple Advice

In the episode, Newhart’s character, a therapist, tells his patient simply: "Stop it. Just stop it!" It’s hilarious, but also profoundly simple advice that highlights how we often make our judgments more complicated than they need to be. The solution is as simple as Newhart’s character suggests: stop it. Stop the judging and choose to live in peace instead.

A Personal Connection to Bob Newhart

For me, this brought to mind not only the wisdom of Newhart's sketch but also my own personal connection to him. I have always loved Bob Newhart and watched many of his shows in reruns. Interestingly, my sister's first husband's father was the producer for Newhart's show. Bob Newhart’s mild manner always reminded me so much of my own dad, and I could sense his gentle, calm energy, even on-screen.

A Humbling Moment with Bob Newhart

One day, when I was in my early 20s, I was waiting at a stop signal on Hilgard Ave, adjacent to the UCLA campus. As I glanced over at the car idling next to me, I was delighted to see that it was none other than Bob Newhart! He had a small child (probably a granddaughter) in the seat next to him, and as I watched, he wrapped his arm tenderly around her, bending over to listen intently to whatever the child was saying. It was a charming, quiet moment that seemed to capture the essence of Newhart’s calm demeanor in real life.

Letting Go of Judgment: Choosing Peace

This moment, combined with Newhart’s iconic sketch, helped me realize how much judgment complicates our lives. It’s easy to get caught up in judging others, but if we can pause and reflect, we can choose to let go of judgment and replace it with love, peace, and understanding. The simple wisdom of “stop it” is more powerful than we often give it credit for.

So there you have it folks, let's all just stop it.  STOP IT!!  Stop the judging and live in peace. 

Want to go deeper into forgiveness?

Explore how forgiveness reconnects us to divine compassion in Unblocking our Connection to Love. Read it here →
My book, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness, offers heartfelt guidance, spiritual tools, and real-life practices. Read it on Amazon →
Let daily affirmations support you too — discover the Forgiveness Metta Card Deck for a gentle morning practice of peace and release. View the deck on Etsy →

Let these tools light your path — because forgiveness sets you free.

— Sue Pipal