Forgiving someone, whether it’s a person from your past or someone who was supposed to love you for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, is easier said than done. That said, all that resentment can’t be good for you either. “Forgiveness is a vulnerable act that can feel like it opens us up to more pain,” says clinical psychologist Ryan Howes in an article on The Huffington Post. “But we need to have a way to process and let go of the effects of injury, or we risk serious physical and emotional consequences.”

Feel like you’re ready to open your heart? Click through the gallery for tips on how to forgive and forget.

(Screencap from Something Borrowed courtesy of Pioneer Films)