When Albert Schweitzer said, "Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory." I can’t agree with him more. I have always believed that deep and meaningful happiness is about unloading. When I say unloading, it’s about going to the heart of the matter. To rid yourself of the things that burden you, things that do nothing but complicate your everyday life. You are surrounded with these things, from the irritating television commercials to annoying people. These things are also in your heart and in your mind- they are commonly called grudges and heartaches.

These are the most potent factors that can really complicate your life. And if you are tired and so stressed- out and just want to be happy, then you have to make a conscious decision and effort to forgive. Yes, forgiveness- a deep, profound and probably the most difficult thing to do. But if you choose forgiveness today, the benefits will overwhelm you. It does not only benefit you in the physical sense, but in the spiritual and mental sense as well. If you want to unburden yourself and start the New Year right, then you should practice forgiveness, it’s good for you and your love life.

Here are some of the things to remind you why it’s better to forgive:

• Forgiveness is good for your heart- literally and figuratively speaking. If you chose to forgive, your body is free from stress. And as you all know, stress can make your heart work harder, since it constricts your blood flow, making you prone to vascular diseases and other chronic diseases.

• Forgiveness boosts your immune system. When you are carry a grudge, you become isolated with your own suffering. Experts studied that people who learned to let go of their grudges show a prominent decrease in their stress level and are less likely to complain about headaches, migraines and back pains.

• Forgiveness lowers the risk of depression. When you decide to forgive the offending party, it doesn’t only strengthen your spirituality, but your coping mechanism to negative situations, making you less prone to depression. This gives you a more confident and positive outlook in life.

• Forgiveness makes your more productive. Hanging on to something negative can burden your mind, and as a result, it makes you distracted and disturbed. Deciding to forgive makes you focus on the things that you need to focus on, like your work and yourself.

• Forgiveness can make a huge improvement in your relationship. Letting go of a hurting past make you less appreciative of your blessings. It can blind you of the love and affection that you are receiving. It also enables you to reciprocate any love and affection as well.

Never underestimate the power of forgiveness, for it can make a whole of positive difference in your life. It not going to be easy, but remember, the road less traveled has its reward.