2. Forgive and Forget
Jack and Jill are playing. Jack bonks Jill over the head with a maraca; tears ensue. Jack gets scolded by his mother; more tears ensue. But minutes later, the tears have dried and Jack and Jill are playing happily together as if nothing happened. It’s a scenario that every mother who’s ever been on a playdate with her children can attest to, but it’s an attitude of forgiveness that we often don’t practice ourselves in our everyday life. Accepting that a difficult encounter can simply happen in the moment—a coworker snaps at you at the copy machine, a friend seems moody and self-absorbed over coffee—and moving on from it without holding a grudge not only means stronger relationships, but a mutual sense of understanding on those days when you’re the one to exhibit a little bad behavior.
