3 Ways to Cope With Guilt
In the article “3 Ways to Cope With Guilt” you’ll learn how you can release these feelings and have a better outlook on life. You’ll also find helpful tips from therapists to share with those who are struggling with guilt for themselves or others.
What is guilt and how do we feel it?
Guilt is an unpleasant feeling that can be triggered by a variety of events. The person who feels guilt will not only feel bad about themselves but also for what they have done or not done. Guilt can be triggered by anything from forgetting to turn off the stove, to forget to take care of a loved one. Guilt can cause people to make rash decisions without considering the consequences first.
Where does guilt come from?
Guilt is an emotional response to a negative act. It is expressed as regret, embarrassment, or shame. Guilt can be caused by one’s own bad actions or by the actions of others. It results in feelings of remorse and regrets about what has been done.
How to cope with the guilt?
- Express yourself: Talking out your feelings and telling someone who is close to you what you’re feeling is a great way to learn how they feel and work through your emotions together.
- Find a way to forgive yourself: Forgiving oneself can be an uncomfortable process, but it’s necessary in order to move on.
- Fix what went wrong: If you’re feeling guilty, it’s important to fix what went wrong. If you’re not sure what to do, your first step should be to forgive yourself. If that doesn’t work then it might be time to seek professional help from a therapist or counsellor. It’s also important to remember that everyone makes mistakes and you can’t beat yourself up for making a mistake.
- Accept responsibility: Part of the reason we feel guilty is that we think others are judging us. Therefore, it helps to work through the things in our lives that made us feel bad in the first place. Doing so will help us accept responsibility for any mistakes we made and help to forgive ourselves for any errant behaviour.
- Stop self-blame: Judgmental thoughts about oneself can become a cycle where one’s own fault becomes magnified in their mind. Therefore, it’s best to replace these types of thoughts with more positive ones. For example, remind oneself that they have helped many other people or that they have done their best despite obstacles.
Conclusion
Guilt is a feeling that we all experience at some point. This feeling occurs as a result of not living up to our own standards, or those of other people. The good news is that there are many ways to cope with guilt. One way to do this is by taking the time to think about what we did and why we did it. Another way is through forgiving and apologizing and finally, getting rid of the guilty feelings by making amends.
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