It’s not uncommon today to hear phrases like “I’m mentally drained,” “I feel stuck,” or “I just can’t move on.”

Whether it’s from a broken relationship, a betrayal, childhood trauma, or something as recent as a workplace conflict — emotional wounds are becoming the silent epidemic of our times.

And while we’ve become quick to try therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes, one of the most powerful, natural healers is often overlooked: forgiveness and forgetting.

I see it every day in my line of work. People walk into our practice with migraines, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), autoimmune issues, and even cancers — and once we start peeling back the layers, what often lies beneath is a deeply rooted emotional wound.

Resentment. Guilt. Bitterness.

A refusal to forgive. The body remembers what the mind refuses to let go.

What’s powerful is how science is now validating ancient wisdom.

In my podcast with Sister BK Shivani, we discussed how suppressed emotions weaken immunity and disrupt hormones. Nearly all our patients with hormonal cancers trace it back to a deep, unresolved emotional trigger — not surface fights, but buried pain.

You can take all the right supplements, eat organic, meditate, and exercise daily — but if you’re still holding on to anger, betrayal, or pain, your healing is incomplete.

The power of forgiveness is real. Not because the other person deserves it, but because you do. It’s not just a virtue. It’s a medicine. One that can restore emotional well-being and mental health, and sometimes, even the physical body.

So, let’s explore what forgiveness and forgetting really mean, why they matter, and how you can gently begin your journey of letting go.

Understanding Forgiveness and Forgetting

Let’s get one thing clear — forgiveness and forgetting doesn’t mean what happened to you was okay. It doesn’t mean what the other person did was right, or that they deserve a second chance, or even an apology. And it definitely doesn’t mean you have to erase the memory like it never happened.

Forgiveness simply means you stop carrying the emotional burden.

You choose to release the anger, resentment, bitterness, or guilt that’s been weighing you down — because it’s hurting you, not them. And that’s where the power of forgiveness lies.

Sister BK Shivani quoted:

“When I say ‘I can’t forgive,’ I’m instructing my subconscious mind to keep the pain alive.”

We’ve all grown up with certain beliefs — forgiving is weak, forgetting is naive, and they don’t deserve to be let off the hook. But here’s the truth: forgiveness and forgetting (in the emotional sense) are among the most powerful steps you can take for your emotional well-being and mental health.

We’ve seen it again and again in our consultations.

People hold on to pain for months, sometimes decades — and that pain quietly disrupts their hormones, gut health, immune system, and even sleep. Emotional pain that isn’t expressed or released becomes internal chaos — and the body always finds a way to express what the mind tries to suppress.

Now let’s talk about forgetting — not in the literal sense.

You may never forget what happened, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t to delete the memory. The goal is to detach the emotional charge from that memory, so it no longer controls your reactions or drains your energy.

• It’s like carrying a bag full of stones — each one representing an unresolved hurt. You may have gotten used to the weight over time, but that doesn’t mean it’s not exhausting you. Forgiveness and forgetting are about choosing to put those stones down. Not for them — but for yourself.

The power of forgiveness is not about making someone else feel better.

It’s about healing you.

When we truly understand this — forgiving for our emotional well-being and mental health — we begin to reclaim our energy. We stop reliving the same emotional story and begin writing a new, lighter one.

The Power of Forgiveness: Why It Matters

Unforgiveness is like an open wound you refuse to heal — and the truth is, it hurts every single day, even if you’ve buried it deep.

I’ve seen this play out with hundreds of patients over the years. People holding on to resentment, guilt, or bitterness often struggle with chronic health issues, poor sleep, inflammation, low immunity, and even hormonal imbalances.

• We can follow the best food plans, take the cleanest supplements, and commit to exercise — but if emotional wounds remain unhealed, the body stays in a state of stress.
• And chronic stress is no longer just an emotional problem — it’s a physiological one. It affects your heart rate, gut, hormone levels,and immunity.

In my practice, especially with patients dealing with breast, ovarian, or reproductive cancers, almost 99% of them can recall the emotional triggers that may have contributed to their health issues.

• It’s rarely something superficial like a fight.
• It’s often deep-rooted emotional pain — a betrayal, a traumatic relationship, unresolved grief, or years of feeling not good enough.
• And more often than not, it’s the inability to forgive — not just others, but themselves too.

Know more about the connection between suppressed emotions & disease.

As Sister Shivani shared in our podcast:

“You’re not forgiving others. You’re healing yourself. You’re releasing the hurt, the hate, and the pain — not for them, but for your mind, your body, your relationships, and your life.”

This is the truth about the power of forgiveness and forgetting — it’s not about letting someone else off the hook. It’s about letting yourself off the hook for suffering. It’s about shifting your internal energy so that your body gets the message: “It’s safe to heal now.”

When you practice the art of forgiveness and forgetting, your:

• nervous system softens
• cortisol levels drop
• digestion improves
• immune system starts working more efficiently

That’s not spirituality — that’s science. Every thought and emotion sends a vibration to every cell in your body. So when you hold on to pain, that vibration becomes your internal music. But when you forgive, you change the frequency.

This is why we tell every patient:

You can do chemo, you can change your nutrition, you can take your meds — but if you’re still holding on to anger or hurt, your healing is incomplete.

So yes, the power of forgiveness and forgetting is real. It’s a core pillar of emotional well-being and mental health. It’s part of the protocol, not separate from it.

Let go — not for anyone else — but for the most important person in your life: YOU!

The Role of Forgetting in Emotional Well-being and Mental Health

When we talk about forgiveness and forgetting, most people resist the idea of forgetting. “How can I forget what they did to me?” they ask.

• But here’s something I recommend — it’s not about forgetting the event, it’s about forgetting the pain attached to it.

Letting go doesn’t mean erasing your memory. That’s not even possible. What it does mean is detaching from the emotional charge the memory holds, so that you no longer carry the same hurt, anger, or resentment every time you think about it.

• Because when you keep reliving the past — through constant rumination, storytelling, or emotional replay — you’re not just remembering.
• You’re re-triggering your nervous system over and over again. The body doesn’t know it’s a memory. It reacts as if the event is happening again. Every single time.

That’s why forgetting, in this emotional well-being and mental health context, is a form of emotional cleansing. It’s lightening. It’s a conscious act of telling your body: “That pain doesn’t need to live here anymore.”

I’ve seen people do everything right — eat clean, move their bodies, sleep well — and yet, they’re anxious, reactive, or stuck in a loop of emotional exhaustion.

The missing piece? They haven’t let go. They’re still carrying wounds from the past. And those wounds are messing with their emotional immunity — making them hypersensitive, low in resilience, and emotionally fatigued.

So the question is not — how can I forget what happened?

The real question is — how long will I let that memory steal my peace?

Unforgiveness vs. Forgiveness: Impact on Mind and Body

Aspect	Unforgiveness	Forgiveness
Mind	Mental fatigue	Mental clarity and emotional freedom
Emotions	Resentment, bitterness, anger	Release of negative emotions, more empathy and inner calm
Body	Increased cortisol, lowered immunity, hormonal imbalances	Balanced hormones, stronger immunity, reduced inflammation
Relationships	Broken trust, defensiveness, emotional walls	Deeper connection, improved communication, restored trust
Spiritual Energy	Heavy karmic load, negative vibrations	Cleansed energy, karmic closure, higher vibration
Subconscious Programming	“I can never forgive,” victim mindset	“I forgive, I release,” conscious rewiring of thoughts
Overall Well-being	Emotional exhaustion, recurring health issues	Lightness, joy, emotional resilience, and improved mental and physical well-being

Integrative Strategies for Practicing Forgiveness and Forgetting

Healing doesn’t begin in a doctor’s clinic. It begins the moment we become aware — aware that we’re holding on to something that’s hurting us more than helping us.

Forgiveness and forgetting isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a daily practice. And like any healing protocol, it works best when approached holistically — body, mind, and spirit working together.

Here’s how you can start that journey:

Mindfulness & Emotional Reflection

You can’t heal what you don’t feel. Set aside a few minutes every day to sit quietly and scan your emotional body.

• What am I feeling?
• Where am I holding tension?
• Is there an emotion I’ve buried?

Don’t rush to fix it — just acknowledge it. Most emotional pain intensifies only because it’s been ignored for too long.

Here are 3 Powerful Mindfulness Practices To Rewire Your Brain you can begin with.

New Affirmations for Subconscious Healing

If you’ve told yourself, “I will never forgive,” that instruction is sitting deep in your subconscious. And the subconscious doesn’t judge — it simply obeys.

Now it’s time to reprogram it.

Repeat these affirmations daily:

“I forgive. I release. I let go.”

Say them in the morning, and again at night before bed — the time when your subconscious is most receptive. Over time, these words become your new emotional software — creating space for peace, clarity, emotional well-being, and mental health.

Consider starting your affirmation journal! Don’t know how to? Here’s Luke’s FREE 101 guide to start your affirmation journal.

Gratitude & Emotional Journaling

Write to release. Journal the pain, the triggers, the stories — and then balance it with a few lines of gratitude. Just 3 things a day you’re thankful for.

Gratitude softens the heart and rewires the brain. It also brings light into the darkest corners of our emotional world — where unforgiveness often hides.

Nutrition That Supports Emotional Well-being and Mental Health

You can’t heal emotionally while inflaming your gut with processed food and erratic eating habits. The gut and brain are deeply connected — what you eat affects how you feel.

• Real food = stable mood
• Clean gut = clearer thoughts
• Balanced meals = emotional resilience

At our practice, we’ve seen how improving gut health with simple nutrition tools plays a direct role in enhancing emotional strength and reducing emotional reactivity.

Explore top foods that support brain health.

Train (and Retrain) the Mind

The mind is powerful — but it also learns through repetition. If you keep feeding it the same story of hurt and betrayal, it becomes your identity.

• Instead, start feeding it healing thoughts.
• Replace “I can never forgive” with “I’m ready to heal.”
• It’s not about denying your pain — it’s about changing the direction of your energy.

This is the beginning of the power of forgiveness — where your mind becomes an ally in your recovery.

Spiritual Perspective: Karma, Energy, and Release

Sometimes logic and science can’t answer why something happened to us. That’s where spiritual wisdom steps in.

When you see a painful event as part of a larger karmic journey — a past account being settled — it removes the heaviness from your heart.

You stop asking “Why me?” and start focusing on “What now?”

This isn’t about religion. It’s about energy hygiene.

When you forgive, you’re not clearing someone else’s karma — you’re cleaning your energy field, lightening your spiritual load, and breaking emotional patterns that would otherwise follow you into future relationships or even lifetimes.

There is no quick-fix formula for forgiveness and forgetting. But there is a lifestyle. One that integrates reflection, nutrition, spiritual understanding, and compassion — not just for others, but for yourself.

Personalized Path to Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to healing.

Your pain is unique. Your story is personal. So your healing path must be too.

And the best way to begin? Create your emotional wellness plan. A lifestyle that includes small daily rituals, spiritual awareness, and self-commitment.

Start by asking yourself:

• What emotional pain am I still holding on to?
• Who or what do I need to release — not for them, but for me?
• What belief system or story am I repeating that no longer serves me?

Now, begin writing a new one. Gently. Consistently.

Build a ritual that works for you.

Daily Emotional Ritual Planner

Time of Day	Simple Practice	Purpose	Optional Affirmation
Morning (on waking)	Sit in silence for 5 minutes, deep breathing	Grounding and clarity	“I choose peace. I forgive. I let go.”
Before or after breakfast	Gratitude journaling (3 things)	Opens the heart	“I’m thankful for today’s new energy.”
Midday Check-in	Pause. Close eyes. Breathe deeply for 1 min	Emotional reset	“I release what I cannot control.”
Evening	Reflect: Who/what triggered me today? What can I let go of?	Builds self-awareness	“I learn. I grow. I forgive myself.”
Before bed	Listen to calm music or a forgiveness o Metta meditation	Subconscious reprogramming	“I am free. I choose healing. I forgive.”

Take the first step towards a life of forgiveness and healing! Enroll now in our online educational course on Luke’s Guide to Forgiveness for Teens and Adults.

The Last Word

If there’s one message I want to leave you with, it’s this — the most powerful act of self-love is forgiveness.

When you forgive, something magical happens. You begin to heal — emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

So, choose peace and release.

Forgive — not for them, but for YOU.

Forget — not the memory, but the pain.

Heal — because you deserve to live with freedom, lightness, and love.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is forgiveness important for emotional well-being and mental health?

Forgiveness helps release suppressed emotions like anger, guilt, and resentment. Letting go lightens your emotional load, improves inner peace, and supports your body’s healing mechanisms. The power of forgiveness lies in healing yourself, not others — making it essential for true emotional well-being and mental health.

2. Does forgiving someone mean I have to forget what they did?

Not at all. Forgiveness and forgetting doesn’t mean erasing the memory — it means detaching the emotional pain attached to it. You remember without reliving the hurt. Forgetting in this context is about emotional freedom, not memory loss.

3. How can forgiveness affect physical health?

Unforgiveness increases stress hormones, weakens immunity, and disrupts sleep and digestion. Practicing the power of forgiveness calms the nervous system, reduces inflammation, and improves overall health.

4. What are simple ways to start forgiving and forgetting?

Begin with small, consistent steps: daily affirmations, journaling, deep breathing, and gratitude. Spiritual practices and a supportive food plan also help. These tools rewire your subconscious and strengthen emotional well-being and mental health over time.

5. Am I doing it for them or for myself?

You’re doing it for yourself. The power of forgiveness is not about changing someone else’s karma — it’s about healing your own energy. By forgiving, you release the hurt and protect your own peace, which is essential for long-term emotional well-being and mental health.

---

Looking for holistic and integrative guidance on emotional well-being and mental health?

We help you find a way.

Set up a one-on-one consultation with our integrative team to optimize your lifestyle goals.

Reach out to us at 1800 102 0253 or write to us at consults@lukecoutinho.com.

---