Don’t Let Guilt Run Your Life
Only sociopaths are able to completely avoid guilt.
Feelings of guilt are distressing and draining.
There doesn’t seem to be a cure. You’ve done or said something you regret. You’re uncomfortable without an obvious solution.
What can be done about it now?
Get Over Your Guilt With These Strategies:
1. Determine if you should feel guilty. Whose standards are you using? Your parents’? Your own? Your church’s? Can you be sure the source is correct? Ensure that you’re judging yourself by a set of standards you deem to be worthy. It’s your choice.
2. Learn from it. Why do you feel guilty? Obviously, you did or said something that you consider to be wrong. Once you know why you feel guilty, you’re in a position to benefit from it. Ensure that you don’t repeat the behavior in the future.
• Visualize yourself behaving in a new and improved manner.
3. Sometimes guilt is unproductive. Imagine that you feel guilty about missing your child’s play because you were required to work. If you did everything within your power, there’s no benefit to feeling guilt. Does your behavior require modification? If not, there’s no reason to feel guilty.
4. Apologize. It can be as simple as saying you’re sorry. You’ll feel better afterwards, even if your apology is rejected.
5. Accept that you feel guilty. Acknowledge your feelings and the pain that goes with them. Accept that you made a mistake. Realize that it will pass.
6. Forgive yourself. Even if the other person won’t forgive you, you can forgive yourself. Be kind and gentle with yourself. No one is perfect.
7. Let it go. Once the event is over, you’ve apologized, and modified your behavior, let it go. At that point, what purpose does your guilt serve? Take a deep breath, let it out, and move on. Keep your mind occupied with more productive thoughts.
8. Have gratitude. Rather than saying to yourself, “I should have told Mary the truth”, tell yourself, “I’m grateful I’ve learned the importance of honesty.” Negative experiences can still be worthy of gratitude.
Showing gratitude in difficult situations can be challenging. However, it can be made simpler if you use the right techniques. Believe it or not, meditation may be able to provide you with the inner-power you will need to show gratitude in tough situations. Click below to get a great meditation as a free gift.
