100+ Uplifting Quotes to Forgive Yourself and Release Guilt

Do you find it easier to forgive others than forgiveness yourself? Here are some quotes that will aid you in letting forget your mistakes and accept forgiveness for yourself.

The issue of forgiveness, whether or not you accept it, has the ability to impact your mental health. However, a lot of people struggle to forgive the person they’ve never had them.

Self-forgiveness in particular could affect your wellbeing in a positive or negative way depending on how easily you are able to grant the forgiveness.

You may be thinking, “Why do I have a hard time with self-forgiveness?” It is difficult to forgive yourself since it is a process of examining your the mistakes you made and confronting uncomfortable emotions like guilt or regret.

The journey of self-forgiveness allows you move into the future without the past stifling you. We all could require a little assistance along the path.

The most brilliant minds, from philosophical to psychological and artistic as well as theologically, have provided ideas and words of inspiration to help you redefine self-forgiveness.

Read more: 100+ Inspiring Quotes for Self-Healing and Renewal

Self-Forgiveness Quotes To Empower You

“Forgiving yourself, believing in yourself, and choosing to love yourself are the best gifts one could receive.” – Brittany Burgunder

“Forgiveness is not just what we receive; it is also what we give – to ourselves.” – Ogwo David Emenike

“The truth is unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” – Steve Maraboli

“A mistake made with good in your heart is still a mistake, but it is one you must forgive yourself.” – Linda Sue Park

“Letting ourselves be forgiven is one of the most difficult healings we will undertake. And one of the most fruitful.” – Stephen Levine

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“If I hadn’t forgiven myself, I wouldn’t be strong enough to love someone this much.” – Dawn Lanuza

“Forgiving yourself, not guilt, increases personal accountability.” – David D. Burns

“Forgiveness is choosing to love. It is the first skill of self-giving love.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Forgive yourself. The supreme act of forgiveness is when you forgive yourself for all the wounds you’ve created in your life. Forgiveness is an act of self-love. When you forgive yourself, self-acceptance begins and self-love grows.”  -Miguel Angel Ruiz Macias

“Our sorrows and wounds are only healed when we touch them with compassion.” – Buddha

“Without forgiveness life is governed by… an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.” – Roberto Assagioli

“When a deep injury is done to us, we never heal until we forgive.” – Nelson Mandela

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker

“I have learned, that the person I have to ask for forgiveness from the most is: myself. You must love yourself. You have to forgive yourself, everyday, whenever you remember a shortcoming, a flaw, you have to tell yourself “That’s just fine”. You have to forgive yourself so much, until you don’t even see those things anymore. Because that’s what love is like.” – C. JoyBell C.

“The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.” – Marianne Williamson

“Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.” – Criss Jami

“To err is human, to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” – Corrie Ten Boom

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Love yourself-accept yourself-forgive yourself-and be good to yourself, because without you the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.” – Leo Buscaglia

“People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what’s bitter and move on.” – Bill Cosby

“Forgive yourself first. Release the need to replay a negative situation over and over again in your mind. Don’t become a hostage to your past by always reviewing and reliving your mistakes. Don’t remind yourself of what should have, could have or would have been. Release it and let it go. Move on.” – Les Brown

“Everyone makes mistakes. The wise are not people who never make mistakes, but those who forgive themselves and learn from their mistakes.” – Ajahn Brahm

“If we all hold on to the mistake, we can’t see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can’t see what we’re capable of being. You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one’s own self.” – Maya Angelou

“Forgiveness is really a gift to yourself – have the compassion to forgive others, and the courage to forgive yourself.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” – Paul Boose

“It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place, because it frees you.” – Tyler Perry

“It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.” – Maya Angelou

“Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Let’s shake free this gravity of judgment, and fly high on the wings of forgiveness.” – India Arie Simpson

“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” – Nelson Mandala

“Life is too short. I forgive and forget. I have not time to get mad or hate.” – Debasish Mridha

“Forgotten is forgiven.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Forgiveness is not to give the other person peace. Forgiveness is for you. Take that opportunity.” – Mackenzie Phillips

“Just knowing you don’t have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn – and those are all good things.” – Dick Van Dyke

“Holding a grudge doesn’t make you strong; it makes you bitter. Forgiving doesn’t make you weak; it sets you free.” – Dave Willis

“Forgiveness is for you-not the other person. It’s something you do inside yourself that you feel in your body and heart that releases you from your past and frees you to live life fully.” – Barbara J. Hunt

“Don’t ever underestimate the power of forgiveness. I’ve seen it free people. I’ve seen it lift burdens that had weighed them down and kept them from moving on.” – Buffy Andrews

Self-Forgiveness Quotes To Lift You Up

“I have learned that the person I have to ask for forgiveness from the most is: myself. You must love yourself. You have to forgive yourself, everyday, whenever you remember a shortcoming, a flaw, you have to tell yourself. “That’s just fine”. You have to forgive yourself so much, until you don’t even see those things anymore. Because that’s what love is like.” – C. JoyBell C.

“Forgiveness is for yourself because it frees you. It lets you out of that prison you put yourself in.” – Louise Hay

“Turn down the volume of your negative inner voice and create a nurturing inner voice to take its place. When you make a mistake, forgive yourself, learn from it, and move on instead of obsessing about it. Equally important, don’t allow anyone else to dwell on your mistakes or shortcomings or to expect perfection from you.” – Beverly Engel

“Embrace and love all of yourself – past, present and future. Forgive yourself quickly and as often as necessary. Encourage Yourself. Tell yourself good things about yourself.” – Melody Beattie

“You can sit there forever, lamenting about how bad you’ve been, feeling guilty until you die, and not one tiny slice of that guilt will do anything to change a single thing in the past. Forgive yourself, then move on!” – Wayne Dyer

“Forgive yourself – no one else will.” – Maya Angelou

“Self-forgiveness is a daily practice of the humble, strong and mentally sane. It is an intentional preservation of inner-peace and a reflection of a healthy self-concept.” – Shannon Tanner

“Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it forgoes revenge,” – The Poet Once Wrote.

“If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.” – Mother Teresa

“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” – Oscar Wilde

“Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.” – William A. Ward

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr., A Gift of Love

“Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it foregoes revenge.” – Edward Hubbell Chapin

“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” – Thomas Szasz

“How unhappy is he who cannot forgive himself.” – Publilius Syrus

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” – Lewis B. Smedes

“Forgiveness is the needle that knows how to mend.” – Jewel

“The lesson is that you can still make mistakes and be forgiven.” – Robert Downey Jr.

“Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.” – William Arthur Ward

“It’s toughest to forgive ourselves. So it’s probably best to start with other people. It’s almost like peeling an onion. Layer by layer, forgiving others, you really do get to the point where you can forgive yourself.” – Patty Duke

“Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.” – Desmond Tutu

“As we know, forgiveness of oneself is the hardest of all the forgivenesses.” – Joan Baez

“Forgiveness is healing…especially forgiving yourself.” – Alyson Noël

“Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you are.” – Cherie Carter-Scott

“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” – Katherine Ponder

“To understand somebody else as a human being, I think, is about as close to real forgiveness as one can get.” – David Small

“For me, forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?” – Bell Hooks

“Reconciliation and forgiveness can actually help all of us move on in a healthier, happier way.” – Chesa Boudin

Self-Forgiveness Quotes To Heal Your Soul

“Forgiveness is man’s deepest need and a highest achievement.” – Horace Bushnell

“To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” – Robert Muller

“No one can or will ever feel your pain as much as you. Forgive yourself for the past, seize the gift of the present moment.” – K.J. Kilton

“Forgive yourself first. Release the need to replay a negative situation over and over again in your mind. Don’t become a hostage to your past by always reviewing and reliving your mistakes. Don’t remind yourself of what should have, could have, or would have been. Release it and let it go. Move on.” – Les Brown

“The more you know yourself, the more you forgive yourself.” – Confucius

“Forgive yourself for not being at peace.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Feeling compassion for ourselves in no way releases us from responsibility for our actions. Rather, it releases us from the self-hatred that prevents us from responding to our life with clarity and balance.” – Tara Brach

“When a deep injury is done to us, we never recover until we forgive.” – Alan Paton

“Forgiveness is above all a personal choice, a decision of the heart to go against natural instinct to pay back evil with evil.” – Pope John Paul II

“Forgiving isn’t something you do for someone else. It’s something you do for yourself. It’s saying ‘You’re not important enough to have a stranglehold on me.’ It’s saying, ‘You don’t get to trap me in the past. I am worthy of a future’.” – Jodi Picoult

“We win by tenderness. We conquer by forgiveness.” – Frederick William Roberson

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness.” – Josh Billings

“If one by one we counted people out / For the least sin, it wouldn’t take us long / To get so we had no one left to live with. / For to be social is to be forgiving.” – Robert Frost

“Before we can forgive one another, we have to understand one another.” – Emma Goldman

“Forgiveness is not weak. It takes courage to face and overcome powerful emotions.” – Desmond Tutu

“The remedy for life’s broken pieces is not classes, workshops or books. Don’t try to heal the broken pieces. Just forgive.” – Iyanla Vanzant

“Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again.” – Saint Augustine

“Though I was unaware of it at the time, that simple act of forgiveness was the beginning of an entirely new level of experiencing life for me.” – Wayne Dyer

“The past doesn’t determine your future unless you carry it with you into the present. Forgiving yourself and others, you free the universe to begin again at any moment.” – Marianne Williamson

“Forgive yourself for what you think you’ve done or not done. At every moment, you had your reasons for all of your actions and decisions. You’ve always done the best that you could do. Forgive yourself.” – Doreen Virtue

“You can sit there forever, lamenting about how bad you’ve been, feeling guilty until you die, and not one tiny slice of that guilt will do anything to change a single thing in the past. Forgive yourself, then MOVE ON!” – Wayne Dyer

“Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on.” – Les Brown

“The burden of regret can weigh us down heavily on our spiritual journey. The best way to release regret is to forgive ourselves.” – James Van Praagh

“Never forget that to forgive yourself is to release trapped energy that could be doing good work in the world.” – D. Patrick Miller

“Forgive yourself. The supreme act of forgiveness is when you can forgive yourself for all the wounds you’ve created in your own life. Forgiveness is an act of self-love. When you forgive yourself, self-acceptance begins and self-love grows.” – Miguel Angel Ruiz

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” – Nelson Mandela

“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.” – Confucius

“Forgiveness has nothing to do with absolving a criminal of his crime. It has everything to do with relieving oneself of the burden of being a victim-letting go of the pain and transforming oneself from victim to survivor.” – C.R. Strahan

“Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.” – Marvin J. Ashton

“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” – Nelson Mandela

“To forgive is wisdom, to forget is genius. And easier. Because it’s true. It’s a new world every heartbeat.” – Joyce Cary

“But we can’t go back. We can only go forward.” – Libba Bray

“Just as white light consists of colored rays, so reverence for life contains all the components of ethics: love, kindliness, sympathy, empathy, peacefulness, and power to forgive.” – Albert Schweitzer

“Because forgiveness is like this: a room can be dank because you have closed the windows, you’ve closed the curtains. But the sun is shining outside, and the air is fresh outside. In order to get that fresh air, you have to get up and open the window and draw the curtains apart.” – Desmond Tutu

“The most basic method one can use to let go of the past is by looking at it as a learning experience.” – Stephen Richards

“Learn from the past, be thankful for the past, forgive the mistakes of the past, and let it go.” – Debasish Mridha

“To forgive is to refuse to contaminate the future with the errors of the past.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough

Conclusion

These powerful words remind us that self-forgiveness is a vital step towards personal growth and inner peace. Embrace the journey of self-compassion and let these quotes serve as gentle reminders that mistakes do not define us. As you reflect on these profound words, may you find the courage to release self-blame and embrace a brighter future filled with self-love and acceptance