The average person spends almost an hour per day feeling guilty. WHAT? Guilt can show up in many ways. Maybe you forgot to call your grandma. Maybe you over-indulged in the Girl Scout cookies. Maybe you got drunk and Snapchatted your every single stupid move. Maybe you spent money on a luxury instead of putting it in savings. Maybe you spent an entire day doing absolutely nothing. Maybe you had an affair. Maybe you gave up on someone. Maybe you got divorced. Maybe you blew the doors off an elderly person's Buick and cussed them out as you passed them. Maybe, if you're like me, you have done every single one of these things.
Seems heavy, I know. I spent a lot, AND I MEAN A LOT of time feeling guilty for each and every one of them. Then, one day, something hit me. Guilt is self-punishment. Guilt is a wasted emotion. Guilt is a liar.
It's natural to feel bad about sinning, making mistakes or hurting someone. Actually, if you don't, are you even human? But here's the deal. In order to move forward, you need to take that situation, dissect it, pull apart all the pieces, apologize wherever necessary, FORGIVE YOURSELF, then kick grass over that shit and move on. You can't keep reliving pieces of a painful past and expect to have a radiant future.
I realize that these things are easier said than done. I also realize that some of our sins or mistakes are way more detrimental than others. But listen, Linda. No one is going to get over it for you. Actually, maybe some people will never get over it. But that's not your problem. When someone is actively trying to make you feel guilty for something you did or didn't do, that is their problem. Pushing guilt on other people is absolute bullshit. An asshole move. And just as inappropriate as the thing they're trying to make you feel guilty about. But unfortunately, some people aren't as far ahead in this gorgeous life as you are, and haven't figured that out yet.
All you need to do is hunker down, dig deep into your heart and soul,pray, repent and then move forward making appropriate choices and doing everything out of love. And with purpose.
Of course you're going to screw up from time to time. But not the way you used to. What is it they say? Live and learn? Yeah, do that. You can't change the past or keep it covered up, but you can evolve into a newer, more loving, better version of yourself if you just own up to it, purge it and move on.