The Science of Happiness

Happiness Break: A Note to Self on Forgiveness, with Alex Elle


Listen Later

Letting go of our regrets can motivate us to improve and help us grow. Alex Elle, a certified breathwork and writing coach, guides us through a meditation to forgive and accept ourselves.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/35tubarw

How to Do This Practice:

  1. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, remember all you have done in the past that led you to come to be where you are today.

  2. Remember that you are allowed to forgive yourself and let it go. Give yourself permission to release any shame that you’re carrying. Forgive yourself.

  3. Think of the good things about yourself. Trust your worth and acknowledge that you are evolving. Remember, you are worthy of good things even when you think you are now.

  4. When you're ready, you can bring your attention back to the present moment. Take a few deep breaths in through the nose, and out through the nose. Drop your shoulder and unclench your jaw.

  5. If you'd like to take this practice a step further, you can write your own letter of self forgiveness, it can start with “Dear self, I forgive you for …”

  6. Today’s Happiness Break host:

    Alex Elle is a certified breathwork coach, author and restorative writing teacher. Her new book, How We Heal, will come out soon.

    Learn more about Alex and her new book: https://www.alexelle.com/about

    Follow Alex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex/

    Follow Alex on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@easewithalexl

    Follow Alex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alex__elle

    Follow Alex on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexElleFB

    More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

    • Listen to a Science of Happiness episode on self-compassion: https://tinyurl.com/2hundtmc

    • How to Grow from Your Regrets: https://tinyurl.com/ys8239k2

    • Just One Thing: Forgive Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/5ybny4xx

    • Forgive Yourself, Save Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/49by7ma6

    • The Healthy Way to Forgive Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/4p3e9eha

    • How to Let Go of an Old Regret: https://tinyurl.com/4mryyyfy

    • We love hearing from you! Tell us how letting go of your regret makes you feel. Email us at [email protected] or using the hashtag #happinesspod.

      Find us on Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/28hcdfsd

      Help us share Happiness Break!

      Leave us a 5-star review and copy and share this link: pod.link/1340505607

      We're living through a mental health crisis. Between the stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, burnout — we all could use a break to feel better. That's where Happiness Break comes in. In each biweekly podcast episode, instructors guide you through research-backed practices and meditations that you can do in real-time. These relaxing and uplifting practices have been shown in a lab to help you cultivate calm, compassion, connection, mindfulness, and more — what the latest science says will directly support your well-being. All in less than ten minutes. A little break in your day.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      The Science of HappinessBy PRX and Greater Good Science Center

      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5
      • 4.5

      4.5

      1,812 ratings


      More shows like The Science of Happiness

      View all
      Living on Earth by World Media Foundation

      Living on Earth

      464 Listeners

      Latino USA by Futuro Media and PRX

      Latino USA

      3,751 Listeners

      Afropop Worldwide by Afropop Worldwide

      Afropop Worldwide

      305 Listeners

      On Being with Krista Tippett by On Being Studios

      On Being with Krista Tippett

      10,292 Listeners

      Live Wire with Luke Burbank by PRX

      Live Wire with Luke Burbank

      313 Listeners

      Tara Brach by Tara Brach

      Tara Brach

      10,402 Listeners

      The World by PRX

      The World

      918 Listeners

      Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

      Snap Judgment

      11,595 Listeners

      TED Radio Hour by NPR

      TED Radio Hour

      22,161 Listeners

      Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

      Good Life Project

      3,283 Listeners

      The One You Feed by iHeartPodcasts

      The One You Feed

      2,508 Listeners

      Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

      Reveal

      8,157 Listeners

      Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

      Hidden Brain

      43,320 Listeners

      Untangle by Untangle

      Untangle

      832 Listeners

      10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

      10% Happier with Dan Harris

      12,546 Listeners

      Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

      Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

      2,394 Listeners

      Nixon at War by PRX

      Nixon at War

      773 Listeners

      Meditative Story by WaitWhat

      Meditative Story

      3,062 Listeners

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

      The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

      14,530 Listeners

      Mind & Life by Mind & Life Institute

      Mind & Life

      268 Listeners

      How to Be a Better Human by TED

      How to Be a Better Human

      1,336 Listeners

      Suave by Futuro Media

      Suave

      1,508 Listeners

      A Slight Change of Plans by Pushkin Industries

      A Slight Change of Plans

      1,986 Listeners

      How to Age Up by The Atlantic

      How to Age Up

      1,425 Listeners