Why am i still resentful even after forgiving him?

last year my boyfriend confessed that he had cheated on me. he slept with another girl one time while he was drunk. being drunk doesn't excuse it but he told me immediately afterward and took full responsibility for what he had done.
from the beginning he was completely open about it. he answered every question talked honestly about why it happened what led up to it and how he felt afterward. he was genuinely remorseful and at the time i decided to stay and see if we could work through it together.
it's now been almost a year since then.
during that time he's worked hard to change. he started therapy stopped drinking and has made several positive changes in his life. honestly our relationship is stronger now than it was before everything happened.
i've also had to take a hard look at myself. i realized i wasn't always the best partner. i often dismissed his feelings preferred spending time alone rather than with him and sometimes took him for granted. none of that excuses his decision to cheat but it has helped me understand some of the issues that existed between us.
the reason i gave him another chance is because i truly believe people can make mistakes and still grow from them. i don't think one bad choice has to define someone's entire character if they're willing to face it take accountability and put in the work to become better. he's done that consistently.
the problem is that even after all this time i still carry resentment. some days are easier than others but the betrayal still hurts. i want to forgive him and part of me feels like i already have but another part of me still struggles with what happened.
i love him and i genuinely believe he's a good person who made a terrible mistake. but i'm starting to wonder if forgiveness is something i can actually reach or if i'm holding on to a wound that may never fully heal.
for anyone who has tried to rebuild after infidelity did the resentment eventually fade? how did you know whether it was worth continuing to try?

Last updated on:2026-06-09T17:35:11+05:30