By Elizabeth Hopper, Greater Good Magazine, May 16, 2022
Imagine that you’re at the grocery store, and someone else pushes past you, bumping into you. Or imagine that you’re out with friends, and a friend makes a teasing comment on a topic you’re sensitive about.
You might feel a variety of emotions—surprised, shocked, or upset. Experiences such as this—ones where we are insulted, belittled, or made to feel invisible—can even leave us feeling less than fully human. This, in turn, can cause us to feel sadness and shame.
How can we avoid this cascade of negative feelings? According to a recent paper in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, one potentially surprising way to feel rehumanized is by forgiving the person who hurt you.
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