For many years, I harbored deep-seated anger towards my father. This anger weighed heavily on my heart, trapping me in a cycle of blame and resentment that affected my well-being and led to burnout.

During an acting workshop, I participated in an exercise where I had to personalize someone I hated—in my case, my father. Initially, all my pent-up emotions spilled out as I expressed my hatred, detailing the supposedly horrible things he had done, unleashing a torrent of anger.

In the midst of this emotional outpouring, my acting teacher interrupted me and asked, "Now imagine you are your personalization and talk back to yourself."

What happened next was transformative. As I began speaking as if I were my father, his actions no longer seemed so negative. Instead, I started to see that beneath those actions was a deep love for me, albeit expressed through fear and control.

The most shocking revelation came when my acting teacher remarked that my portrayal was my strongest performance. I was astonished. For years, I had strived to be the exact opposite of him. By rejecting parts of myself, I had overlooked the strength those traits could offer.

I began to view my father not through the lens of anger, but as a son who longed for love. This change in perspective allowed me to forgive him, recognizing his struggles and imperfections. By forgiving my father, I liberated myself from resentment, discovering inner peace and gratitude.

This journey of forgiveness illuminated my path to healing. I realized that holding onto anger and blame poisons our souls and stifles our potential for joy and connection. Embracing forgiveness enabled me to release negativity, transforming my life in the process.