Shed Those Unwanted Pounds . . . of Guilt

I propose we start a club called Guilt-Shedders.

Not long ago, I heard this joke on the radio:

If you feel bad about what you did, that’s guilt.

If you feel bad about who you are, that’s shame.

If you feel shame because you don’t feel guilty, that’s Catholic.

The truth is, Catholics don’t have a monopoly on guilt. Let’s face it, there’s just too much of it floating around. We can feel guilty for nearly anything . . . letting coupons expire, ignoring our expanding collection of unanswered email, singing off-key, showing up a tad late, saying no to an invitation, or even saying yes when we’d rather not go. We can feel guilty for not eating right, standing right or looking right. We can feel guilty for not getting enough exercise, or for doing it all wrong.

And what about the category called “no-win guilt”? That’s when we feel guilty for things like working too much or too little; for not furthering our education, but also for going into debt to further our education.

Then there’s the never-ending parental guilt. I’ve been there myself . . . I am there. We can just as easily feel guilty for caring too much as for caring too little. One dad tells me, “I feel guilty for not being the right kind of father.” But he is.  (Guilt can be so empty-headed.)

The glut of guilt is endless. What to do? Out-muscle it. Be bigger than the guilt. Disarm it by out-loving it. Find out how to do that by reading a column I wrote—using actual client stories—titled The Guilt Monster. (click here)

Yep, our world is ripe for a Guilt-Shedders Club. I just happen to be a charter member along with about three million other people. 🙂