Have you felt guilt?
If we’re honest, at least with ourselves, guilt is something most have experienced at one time or another.
I’ll repeat the disclaimer: I am not a therapist, psychologist, or trained counselor. I write from my heart and my experiences in my hope of giving a nudge and hug as you, we, make our way in unearthing who we are.
Recently, I had a conversation with a loved one. Yup, prompting me to process and ultimately put my thoughts on this page. During our rather difficult conversation, she stated she felt guilty because if what I explained happened, then she caused harm and hurt someone. Me, actually.
I think guilt has a purpose, though I’ve heard it said it is a useless emotion. In my opinion, if we can recognize the emotion we are feeling as guilt and trace it back to the cause, we have a growth opportunity. Moreover, we have a chance to repair something damaged due to the hurt we caused another.
So, the guilt lies with the one feeling it. What we do with it is what will make it useless or valuable.
Are we capable of being honest with ourselves and taking responsibility for our actions? Can we accept that intentionally, but usually unintentionally, we caused harm or pain to another?
Can we sincerely apologize, make no excuses, and take ownership of the hurt caused?
Often, our responses to situations, especially with those in our family or closest to us, are defensive, knee-jerk self-preservation responses or behaviors learned from our past. Our behavior response will repeat until we see ourselves clearly and choose to put in the work – and it is Work with a capital w – to change.
If you can recognize the emotion you feel is guilt, then underlying the guilt is often remorse or shame. These are powerful emotions, and they can be one of the chains holding you in place.
You’ve got a choice. You Have A Choice.
The gift here is that you have today. As you unearth who you are, much of the journey will be taking responsibility for the choices you’ve made that have gotten you where you are today.
If you don’t like what you felt or see of yourself from the past, give yourself the grace to know you did the best you knew how to do. And if you don’t like what you did or what you caused, then be intentional about making today better. You and I have today to do better 💙
What will you strive to do better today?
