How do you feel about garbage? Just thinking of that lovely can under your kitchen sink that smells so wonderful. Old food, discarded wrappers, sticky who-knows-what settled at the bottom. Don’t you just love it! Right?

What… you don’t love it!? You aren’t a germ-infested fly attracted to that distinct smell of filth? Odd — because I see so many people carrying around big heaping piles of garbage with them!

“Hey! I don’t do that, Dani!” But you do. It happens every time you let bitterness, offense and unforgiveness stick around in your life. For real, carrying around this hurt is the same as carrying around stinky, rotting, trash.

It literally smells – other people catch a whiff! When you are burdened, bitter or angry, others can tell. And who wants to be around someone who reeks like that? Some call it “baggage,” but let’s be honest, with that kind of load you sure aren’t going anywhere. Quite the opposite, you’re absolutely stuck, because you can’t put down that giant filthy bag of old relationships, rotten choices and smelly attitudes. Harboring unforgiveness does a number on your psychological health. The negatives effects include stress, hostility, high blood pressure, depression…. and the positives pretty much don’t exist. I’m just here to tell you, hanging on to that crap isn’t doing anything good for your life.

What happens is, people get stuck in this “victim mentality” and it has a real control over their emotional state. It affects your relationships, your career and your physical well-being.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to realize that letting go of the garbage in your life is not about letting other people off the hook. It’s about accepting you have no control over the situation. You don’t control other people, remember?

They hurt you once and they will continue to hurt, disappoint, betray and lie. One, because they are human and they aren’t perfect. And two, because they make their own decisions and hold their own values and motivations which may not match up to yours!

In some cases forgiveness is a process. Trust me, I know. But be assured, forgiveness is a mental choice. Actively choose to forgive the person who has offended you. Move away from your role as a victim and release the control and power the offending person and situation have had in your life.

What’s your choice? Are you going to hang on to the bitterness and resentment, that garbage in your life? Or are you finally going to drop it off at the curb? Let me know on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to take that 5 extra seconds to share today’s message. Let’s start getting rid of the garbage within your circle of influence.

The Dani Johnson Show will be live this Sunday night. Grab a pen and notepad, and meet me on your TV, radio, smartphone or computer at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT.

In great faith,

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