I agree 100% on forgiving yourself and others. I think it's also important to accept yourself and others. Forgiving myself wasn't enough for me. Accepting who I am and what I have done is what helped me move forward. It means going forward not with a new chance at the same life but a chance at a new life, if that makes sense.

I think it's also important not only to remember the bad things I have done but to dig deep and remember and understand how I became who I am. How can I accept anyone for who they are if I don't accept myself? Some good people I talked to told me to be good to myself and to try and not beat myself up. I think that's important.

I have to say I have a lot of respect for the people in this forum who have been coming here for a long time and talking about this and not giving up but instead helping others and in the process themselves too. It is so easy to stop trying, to be swept away by your past, it takes constant effort to keep at this and to me it shows a good character.