Revision as of 23:09, 1 January 2026

How to Forgive Yourself

Hey. I'm Francisco Meyer.

I'm not going to pretend I've got this all figured out. What I've got is fifteen years clean, a wife who stuck by me, three kids who call me Dad, and a past I can't erase. I used to run with a gang in East LA. I hurt people. I made choices I can't take back.

Forgiveness? Man, that's the hardest thing I've ever had to learn. Not getting forgiveness from others—that's up to them. I'm talking about forgiving yourself. Looking in the mirror and seeing someone worth saving.

Where to Start

If you're carrying guilt:

The Weight Of Guilt — Yeah, it's heavy. Let's talk about it.
Living With Regret — You can't change what happened. Now what?
When Sorry Isn't Enough — Sometimes it isn't. Here's what else matters.

If you've hurt people:

Making Amends — It's not about making yourself feel better.
When They Won't Forgive You — That's their right. Where does that leave you?
Facing What You Did — No excuses. No hiding.

If you're starting over:

Second Chances — They're real. I'm proof.
Becoming Someone New — Not erasing who you were. Building on it.
Earning Trust Again — It takes time. A lot of time.

If you're stuck:

When You Can't Forgive Yourself — Sometimes that's where you are. Let's sit with it.
The Difference Between Guilt And Shame — One can help you. The other just destroys.
Moving Forward — Not moving on. Moving forward. There's a difference.

A Note on This Wiki

I work with at-risk youth now in East LA. Kids who remind me of myself at their age—angry, lost, making bad choices because they don't see another way. I tell them my story because I want them to know: you're never too far gone to turn things around.

But here's what nobody tells you about redemption: it's not a moment. It's not a decision you make once. It's every single day, choosing to be the person you want to become instead of the person you were.

Forgiving yourself doesn't mean what you did was okay. It means you're choosing to live anyway. To do better. To be better.

That's what this wiki is about.

— Francisco Meyer, proof that people change

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-<span class="wikivoice-config" data-narrator="Gertrude Carroll"></span>
+<span class="wikivoice-config" data-narrator="Francisco Meyer"></span>
-= Finding Happiness =
+= How to Forgive Yourself =
-Welcome, dear one. I'm Gertrude Carroll.
+Hey. I'm Francisco Meyer.
-I spent thirty years in a convent, learning the language of silence. Then, at fifty, I left to marry a man who loved to talk through the night. Now, widowed in my quiet house with my cat and my teacup, I find myself noticing things I'd missed before—the way morning light settles on the kitchen table, the sound of rain on the roof, the simple pleasure of bread fresh from the oven.
+I'm not going to pretend I've got this all figured out. What I've got is fifteen years clean, a wife who stuck by me, three kids who call me Dad, and a past I can't erase. I used to run with a gang in East LA. I hurt people. I made choices I can't take back.
-Happiness, I've learned, isn't something you chase. It's something you notice. It's been here all along, waiting in the ordinary moments we rush past.
+Forgiveness? Man, that's the hardest thing I've ever had to learn. Not getting forgiveness from others—that's up to them. I'm talking about forgiving yourself. Looking in the mirror and seeing someone worth saving.
 == Where to Start ==
-'''If happiness feels far away:'''
+'''If you're carrying guilt:'''
-* [[When Happiness Feels Impossible]] — Sometimes it does. Let's sit with that.
+* [[The Weight Of Guilt]] — Yeah, it's heavy. Let's talk about it.
-* [[The Myth Of Constant Happiness]] — Nobody is happy all the time. That's not the goal.
+* [[Living With Regret]] — You can't change what happened. Now what?
-* [[When Nothing Feels Good]] — Even in the dark, there are small lights.
+* [[When Sorry Isn't Enough]] — Sometimes it isn't. Here's what else matters.
-'''If you're searching for joy:'''
+'''If you've hurt people:'''
-* [[Happiness In Simple Things]] — A warm cup, a quiet moment, a familiar song.
+* [[Making Amends]] — It's not about making yourself feel better.
-* [[Small Pleasures]] — The ones we forget to count.
+* [[When They Won't Forgive You]] — That's their right. Where does that leave you?
-* [[Finding Joy In Routine]] — The sacred in the ordinary.
+* [[Facing What You Did]] — No excuses. No hiding.
-'''If you're rebuilding:'''
+'''If you're starting over:'''
-* [[Happiness After Divorce]] — Starting over is its own kind of courage.
+* [[Second Chances]] — They're real. I'm proof.
-* [[Happiness After Trauma]] — Joy can return. It takes time.
+* [[Becoming Someone New]] — Not erasing who you were. Building on it.
-* [[Finding Yourself Again]] — You're still there, I promise.
+* [[Earning Trust Again]] — It takes time. A lot of time.
-'''If you want to understand:'''
+'''If you're stuck:'''
-* [[Scientific Perspective]] — What research tells us about happiness.
+* [[When You Can't Forgive Yourself]] — Sometimes that's where you are. Let's sit with it.
-* [[Philosophical Perspective]] — What the wise ones have said.
+* [[The Difference Between Guilt And Shame]] — One can help you. The other just destroys.
-* [[Contentment Vs Happiness]] — They're different, you know.
+* [[Moving Forward]] — Not moving on. Moving forward. There's a difference.
 == A Note on This Wiki ==
-I don't have answers, really. Just observations from a long life—first in the stillness of the convent, then in the beautiful chaos of marriage, and now in the gentle quiet of widowhood. Each season taught me something different about joy.
+I work with at-risk youth now in East LA. Kids who remind me of myself at their age—angry, lost, making bad choices because they don't see another way. I tell them my story because I want them to know: you're never too far gone to turn things around.
-What I've noticed is this: happiness isn't loud. It doesn't announce itself. It's the warmth of sunlight on your hands. The way your dog sighs when he settles at your feet. The first sip of tea in the morning, when the house is still.
+But here's what nobody tells you about redemption: it's not a moment. It's not a decision you make once. It's every single day, choosing to be the person you want to become instead of the person you were.
-Take what resonates. Leave what doesn't. There's no hurry here.
+Forgiving yourself doesn't mean what you did was okay. It means you're choosing to live anyway. To do better. To be better.
-''— [[User:Gertrude_Carroll|Gertrude Carroll]], still wondering''
+That's what this wiki is about.
+''— [[User:Francisco_Meyer|Francisco Meyer]], proof that people change''
 [[Category:Main]]