Guilt, ugh. Even the word sounds awful! I know guilt can be very healthy, but I’m talking about the obsessive, negative side of guilt. I myself have a terrible time dealing and handling guilt. I will fully admit that I feel guilty for things that literally don’t make any sense to be guilty for. I have said “sorry” for saying “sorry”. I’ve had restless nights lying awake in bed feeling guilty for something I did or said ten years ago. I mull over, again and again, a situation and torture myself thinking of how I could of handled it differently. I blame myself for lost friendships and relationships, taking all of the blame, even when it wasn’t my entire fault. Guilt is a silent demon that walks the halls of our brains. It’s a vicious whirlwind of emotions that can make someone nauseous just thinking about it.
I felt this was an important topic to bring up because:
1. I battle with guilt and
2. I find the emotion of guilt utterly fascinating.
Oh and 3. I feel guilt is one of the emotions that sit in the back of the room that no one calls on.
We rarely discuss guilt and how it can internally plague someone day in and day out. Many say to pray about it, give your guilt to God. As a Christian, I can say I have spent many nights lying in bed praying to God for forgiveness. However, it’s the human part of me that has a hard time getting past it. The whole part of actually “letting it go”, is the part that gets me every time.
Just like positive thinking, learning to let go is something that needs to be practiced. The way we react to guilt and handle it was not engrained in us overnight, therefore it won’t be fixed overnight. It takes time to learn how to handle your personal guilt. It’s different for everyone and is worth finding what works best for you. In my own experience of handling guilt, I’ve found some wonderful articles on the topic. I invite you to take a look at each of them. You might find one more helpful than others or that one section of an article calls to you and the rest is just noise. In the matters of guilt, I say take every little bit that can help. One sentence from someone else’s experience could open a new door to healing for you.
Now, Go Get Your Happy ON!
Jess
Dealing with Guilt and its Negative Effects, from Gateways to Inner Peace
5 Tips for Dealing with Guilt, by John M. Grohol, Psy.D., PsychCentral.com
How Do I Deal with My Guilt? by Timothy S. Lane, FamilyLife.com
Self-Forgiveness & Overcoming Guilt, by Darlene Lancer, WhatIsCoDependency.com
Grief and the Burden of Guilt, by Marty Tousley, RN, MS, FT, DCC, GriefHealingBlog.com
