Hey Chad- The minute you just start practicing focusing on the positive at any time, there is no need to forgive yourself or anyone else...you are practicing pure,positive energy through your thoughts,staying in the now, and therefore, attracting only positive aspects into your life....I don't think the ultimate objective is to forgive yourself, but rather to love yourself and others (who, as Gitam said, are essentially you in different aspects). To forgive yourself has a completely different conotation than to love yourself. To love yourself keeps you in the present, or pre-sent (ie., your pre-sent thoughts determine your present situation), and is easily doable as you start by appreciating everything. You have attracted the negative people by thinking at some point negatively; pivot the thought to positive, you change the outcome. Simple, but requires practice... much peace, Madonna