If you live long enough, you will for certain say something or do something that you regret! Perhaps your words have hurt someone’s feelings or you have done something to someone that you know wasn’t right. Here is how to take positive steps to fix the situation or at least do what is right.

1. Recognize your part in what you said or did. Ask yourself:”What was the reason , or was there a reason you did this to someone”? This is important so you can understand what emotion triggered your response.
2. After you have done a review and understand your part, see if there is a pattern in your behavior that triggered it. What were you doing when this happened? Were you drinking too much or smoking to much? Were you in a weakened state when this behavior occurred? Were you angry, tired, or hurt?
3. Chances are this might be a pattern so immediately take steps to minimize this behavior in the future. This is done by a pain/pleasure scale. Is the pleasure of having a few drinks (lets say) worth the pain of what you caused? Engage your intellect so that the next time you are in this pattern, you take guard of your senses.
4. Go to the person you hurt personally and apologize. Don’t text them or call them. Go and admit to them the reasons why you did this. Chances are they will forgive you if you show remorse for your actions. Without remorse, there is no change of behavior.
5. Once you apologize, now it just takes time to prove you are on a better path. Remember, we all make mistakes so don’t beat yourself up to death. Remember that they also are dealing with some issue. Maybe different from yours, but in God’s eyes, maybe just the same.
6. Change your behavior so that others can see that you are sorry. Become better from this experience, not bitter. Don’t hide from people over it, but love more.
7. And last, remember that forgiveness is a release for you and for the one you hurt. Forgiveness allows each of you to move forward. Without forgiveness, neither of you can move forward.