Do you notice a difference in your body when you are struggling with resentment, sadness or anger?

How does it feel when you are happy and feel connected?

Makes a difference doesn’t it?

It’s been proven that forgiveness or unforgiveness really plays a critical role in our health.

So how does forgiveness affect your health?

Here is an excerpt from a blog written by Colin Tipping, author of the Radical Forgiveness book and an easy tool for you to use to aid in the forgiveness process: “Unforgiveness is classified in medical books as a disease.”

According to Dr. Steven Standiford, chief of surgery at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, refusing to forgive makes people sick and keeps them that way. With that in mind, forgiveness therapy is now being used to help treat diseases, such as cancer.

“It’s important to treat emotional wounds or disorders because they really can hinder someone’s reactions to the treatments, even someone’s willingness to pursue treatment,” Standiford explained.

Of all cancer patients, 61 percent have forgiveness issues. Of those, more than half are severe, according to research by Dr. Michael Barry, a pastor and the author of the book, The Forgiveness Project. “Harboring these negative emotions, this anger and hatred, creates a state of chronic anxiety,” he said.

“Chronic anxiety very predictably produces excess adrenaline and cortisol, which deplete the production of natural killer cells, which is your body’s foot soldier in the fight against cancer,” he explained. The fact is, of course, this applies to everyone, not just cancer patients.

There’s a tool in Radical Forgiveness called the 4-Steps that can be used any time you feel stressed or some irritation comes up. Writing these down or memorizing them is really helpful.

1. Look what I created!
2. I notice my feelings and my judgments but love myself anyway.
3. I am willing to see the perfection in the situation.
4. I choose peace.

It’s amazing how this can transform the situation immediately. Just by being willing to be willing can make a change.