Step 8 Day 1: Forgiving the Unforgivable Parts of Me

Even the parts we once hid from the light deserve forgiveness.

It’s one thing to forgive yourself for mistakes that are easy to explain: a bad day, a choice made under pressure. That kind of forgiveness stings, but it feels doable. But then there are other mistakes. The ones that look ugly even in the best light. The ones you can’t dress up or justify. The ones where you knew better, or wish you had. Those hit differently. They whisper: Maybe you don’t deserve peace. Maybe you’re not good enough for healing. It's hard to forgive the unforgivable parts of ourselves.

But here’s the truth nobody told me when I was drowning in shame: You don’t have to deserve forgiveness to receive it. Forgiveness isn’t a trophy for good behavior.  It’s a hand you extend to yourself when the weight of self-punishment is about to crush you.

I’m not proud of every version of me that’s walked this earth. But I am here because of her. Somewhere inside all that chaos, panic, and bad decision-making, there was

still a heartbeat that refused to give up on life.

I forgive her. Not because she was right. But because she deserved better long before she knew how to give it to herself.

A Slice of Humble Pie: You don’t have to sanitize your past to be worthy of peace.

Reflection: What parts of your story still feel “unforgivable”? What would it feel like to offer yourself compassion with no fine print?

Affirmation: I’m not proud of every version of me, but I still choose to love her.

This is an invitation to stop waiting until you’re flawless to forgive yourself. What if forgiveness was the bridge that lets you keep going, even with the scars?