50 Self-Forgiveness Quotes To Increase Peace Of Mind

By Clifton Sankofa

School Leader, Language Arts Expert & Master Quote Curator

Published January 18, 2023

Let go of energy that does not serve you with these insightful self-forgiveness quotes.

Forgiveness is a transformative act, and our quotes about self-forgiveness will shed some light on their power.

What is the meaning of true forgiveness?

People have different definitions of what forgiveness means.

However, psychologists define forgiveness as a consciously deliberate decision to let go of feelings of resentment, revenge, or anger towards a person or group, regardless of whether they deserve forgiveness.

Here are some of the different forms of forgiveness people experience:

Self-forgiveness.
Group forgiveness.
Individual forgiveness.

Many people see forgiveness as something for the person who has been trespassed upon, not for the person who does the trespassing.

However, sometimes we have to forgive ourselves if we wish to be able to forgive others.

Forgiveness is for us.

We can use it to let go of negative feelings that may wear us down.

Experts remind people that when we forgive, we should not gloss over or deny the magnitude of the offense.

Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, condoning, or excusing offensive behavior.

Forgiveness can help repair a relationship, but it does not mean we must reconcile with anyone who has harmed us.

The power of forgiveness

One of the powers of forgiveness is its ability to bring peace of mind to the offended person, even if that person is you.

Self-forgiveness allows us to release anger and negative energy.

Forgiveness is empowering because it allows a person to acknowledge their pain.

Acknowledging pain is the first step toward healing what is wrong.

Check out our fantastic selection of self-forgiveness quotes below for more great content.

Short self-forgiveness quotes

These forgiveness quotes say a lot in a few words.

1. “Forgiveness is the economy of the heart.” — Hannah More

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

3. “Forgiveness is man’s deepest need and highest achievement.” — Horace Bushnell

4. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realize that prisoner was you.” — Lewis B. Smedes

5. “The simple truth is, we all make mistakes, and we all need forgiveness.” — Desmond Tutu

6. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

7. “Do as the heavens have done, forget your evil; With them forgive yourself.” — William Shakespeare

8. “Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.” — Mel Robbins

9. “Without forgiveness, life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.” — Roberto Assagioli

10. “In order to heal, we must first forgive, and sometimes the person we must forgive is ourselves.” — Mila Bron

Deep self-forgiveness quotes

These forgiveness quotes will have you thinking deeply.

11. “Forgiveness deepens your ability to love and frees you from pain.” — Kemi Sogunle

12. “Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.” — Hannah More

13. “We all make mistakes, don’t we? But if you can’t forgive yourself, you’ll always be an exile in your own life.” — Curtis Sittenfeld

14. “You will have no peace until you have discovered how to forgive yourself, to forgive other people and let them forgive you.” — Dorothy Rowe

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

16. “Having asked God for forgiveness, accept release, then truly forgive yourself and turn your back definitely on the matter.” — Norman Vincent Peale

17. “I think that if God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than him.” — C. S. Lewis

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

19. “It is such a great moment of liberation when you learn to forgive yourself, let the burden go, and walk out into a new path of promise and possibility.” — John O’Donohue

20. “Without forgiveness and love, you will live with resentment, bitterness, malice, and strife, which result in more pain. You can never love without forgiving.” — Kemi Sogunle

You will also enjoy our article on harmony quotes.

Self-forgiveness quotes that will make your day

Here are some popular forgiveness quotes.

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

22. “To love yourself, you must forgive yourself of your mistakes – all the things you’ve done or left undone.” — Jena Pincott

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

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

25. “Forgive yourself first. Let go of past hurts and direct your spirit to goodness and hope by having gratitude.” — Janet Taylor Spence

26. “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

27. “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

28. “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

29. “You forgive yourself for every failure because you are trying to do the right thing. God knows that, and you know it. Nobody else may know it.” — Maya Angelou

30. “There are only 2 two ways to have a peaceful conscience: Never do anything wrong or learn self—forgiveness (Pro tip: first way’s impossible)” — Elizabeth Gilbert

Self-forgiveness quotes from Christianity

Here are some Bible scriptures regarding forgiveness.

31. “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” — Luke 6:27

32. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32

33. “But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” — Matthew 6:15

34. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” — 1 John 1:9

35. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.” — Luke 6:37

36. “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” — Colossians 3:13

37. “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” — Mark 11:25

38. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” — James 5:16

39. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” — Matthew 6:14-15

40. “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” — Matthew 18:21-22

Self-forgiveness quotes for him or her

These forgiveness quotes can apply to anyone seeking forgiveness.

41 “Forgive but don’t forget.” — AZ

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

43. “When you initially forgive, it is like letting go of a hot iron. There is initial pain, and the scars will show, but you can start living again.” — Stephen Richards

44. “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.” — Dr. Steve Maraboli

45. “In the shadow of my hurt, forgiveness feels like a decision to reward my enemy. But in the shadow of the cross, forgiveness is merely a gift from one undeserving soul to the next.” — Andy Stanley

46. “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

47. “Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do. Accept the past as past, without denying it or discarding it. Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others. Don’t assume that it’s too late to get involved.” — Mitch Albom

48. “Bring it up, make amends, forgive yourself. It sounds simple, but don’t think for a second that it is easy. Getting free from the tyranny of past mistakes can be hard work, but definitely worth the effort. And the payoff is health, wholeness, and inner peace. In other words, you get your life back.” — Steve Goodier

49. “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

50. “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