The Invisible Weight of Unfinished Forgiveness

Originally shared August 7, 2025 in the Naked Sunday Newsletter. Adapted for the journal.

When was the last time you realized something had been weighing on you…
and you didn’t even notice until it was gone?

Last week, I recorded a podcast with my first business partner.

It was the first time we’d seen each other in person in over a decade since our falling out.

Sure—we reconciled a few years ago, just before the pandemic. But this?
This was something different.
It was full-circle.

He was back in Albany for the first time in 10 years.
The CrossFit Games were held here—which was what originally brought us together.
And we recorded the interview in the office of one of our first mentors.

It was surreal.
It was peaceful.
And it reminded me of something I think a lot of people overlook:

Spiritual weight is real.
And it will hold you back if you don’t release it.

The old stories.
The unresolved hurt.
The tiny echoes of resentment you think you’ve buried.
They creep into your business.
Your relationships.
Your energy.
And they subtly—but powerfully—keep you stuck.

That’s why forgiveness is such a core part of true growth.
It opens doors you couldn’t imagine.
It creates clarity you didn’t know you needed.
And it invites in new opportunities simply because you’ve made space for them.

What was wild for me…
Was noticing how my body wanted to default back to old habits after the recording.
I found myself reaching for a sweet snack.
Scrolling through my phone.
Just kind of… unsettled.

But here’s the difference:

I noticed it.

I felt that impulse and realized:
I didn’t need the distraction.
I wasn’t anxious.
I was just… lighter.

No more tension to numb.
No more old pain to avoid.
Just a new level of clarity and energy asking:
What do you want to do with this next chapter?

That’s what real healing feels like.

It’s not dramatic.
It’s not some big fireworks moment.
It’s peaceful.
Almost boring.
But everything is different.

And that’s how you know it’s sustainable.

If there’s someone you’ve been meaning to forgive…
If there’s a conversation you’ve been putting off…
If there’s an old story you’re still carrying…

You don’t have to do it all at once.
But maybe—
This is your invitation to start.

Until next time…

Love. Every. Body.