Try On These 6 Thoughts To Stop Guilt in Its Tracks
I recently had an experience where I really needed to take a sick day — but I resisted it hard!
And because I ignored the clues from my body and kept pushing through, I took longer to recover than I expected.
Once I took the time to truly rest, though? I felt so much better!
When I was at home resting, though, there was a strong pull to feel guilt about not working.
Maybe you’ve felt this guilt before…
When you’re at work, you feel guilty about not being at home.
When you’re at home, feel guilty about all the work you have to do.
And if you do happen to take time for yourself, you struggle to actually enjoy it — because you feel like you should be somewhere else, doing something else.
We do a lot of things we think will make us happy and will give us peace in the future — like working hard to make money and have security, waiting for “someday” to enjoy life. But in the meantime, we may miss out on all the joy and fun we can create in the present moment.
Here’s how this can play out with an unchecked brain.
Remember, your brain’s job is to keep you alive. Your brain only wants you to avoid dangerous things at all times. In this case, it’s perceiving work (or anything distracting you) as a scary threat.
Let’s look at how the cycle plays out:
The unintentional thought: “I have so much to do!”
As a result, the brain releases adrenaline.
Then, the body experiences heart racing and a tingly sensation.
The resulting emotion — worry.
Then we wind up multi-tasking. Which we know don’t do well. And end up procrastinating and squandering life’s precious moments.
The end result: continue feeling overworked, overwhelmed, guilty, unsatisfied, tired, and stressed.
How much better would you feel if you could stop the cycle?
How much more peace, joy, and presence would you feel if you could be content wherever you are?
You can get there.
Give your mind boundaries, practice restraint, and tell your brain “No” when it tries to make you feel worried or guilty at the wrong moment. Moments like when you’re at work, home, or on vacation and the thought creeps in that you should be somewhere else — squashing it right away will allow you to truly feel and enjoy everything that you’ve been working so hard for.
Some of the boundaries that I’ve found helpful are making a schedule of work hours, downtime, date nights, kids' activities, and anything important to me so that my brain knows exactly when I have planned to do what. I might still find my mind being pulled in other directions, but I require myself to bring it back to the present moment and look for the fun and joy.
Here are 6 thoughts that can help you stop feeling guilty in the moment:
“In a clear moment, I decided to spend my time this way.”
“Being fully present will help me be and do my best in this moment.”
“I’m really going to enjoy my time when I get home. For now, I’m going to give all of my focus and attention to this task so I don’t procrastinate and have to do it later.”
“How can I make this time with my family even more fun?”
“I deserve to relax and enjoy my time off.”
“Nothing is more important than protecting my downtime/family time.”
It takes work and practice to manage your thoughts, especially ones you’ve been thinking about for a long time. This process will help you live a life that is more satisfying, intentional, and in alignment with your values.
