How Cheryl Wilder Learned Forgiveness After Shame and Moral Injury
What one choice can teach us about self-worth and healing
At 20 years old, Cheryl Wilder made a decision that led to a devastating accident and decades of shame. She carried what she later understood as moral injury, questioning whether she even deserved to heal. In this week’s episode, she shares her path to forgiveness and reclaiming her worth.
🎧 Listen on the website: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/s4e216
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Cheryl’s story is a reminder that shame can feel easier to hold than forgiveness. But choosing forgiveness, even when it feels undeserved, opens the door to growth, worth, and community.
Three things to think about
Shame often convinces us it’s safer to hide than to heal.
Forgiveness doesn’t erase the past, but it reshapes how we live with it.
A single choice doesn’t cancel our worth – it’s revealed in how we respond afterward.
Two things to ask yourself
What story am I still holding in silence that deserves to be told?
How might forgiving myself change the way I move forward?
One thing to try this week
Write down one mistake you still carry, then list three things you’ve done since that reflect growth. Keep the paper visible as a reminder that you are more than that moment.
I’d love for you to listen to Cheryl’s full conversation — it’s one of those stories that stays with you. And if something here resonates, hit reply and share your reflections with me.
Matt
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PS: I created a short-form podcast, “It’s Okay If…” Each episode is under three minutes long and provides a permission slip to be human. I’d be honored if you subscribed to the show. New episodes are released every Wednesday at noon ET.
