Feeling Guilty

John, that crazy guy who lives in the woods, suggested that a group of us try doing a blog a day for the month of February.  So, I've been practising by doing a blog a day this past week, even though it's not February until tomorrow.  Today I sat down to write a blog and was feeling a bit 'out-of-material', so I thought I'd see what was on my google for some inspiration.  The first thing I noticed was my dozen or so overdue tasks.  Then I saw the Real Simple, Tip of the Day - How to Stop Feeling Guilty.  So, I clicked on the 'How to Stop Feeling Guilty' link and it returned 'Information temporarily unavailable.' 
So, now what?  I fixed myself some porridge, came back to the link, and it was up - so I had a good read. 

I had pretty much stopped feeling guilty about stuff just before Chrlie was born.  However, fatherhood is fraught with guilt.  And if any fathers are out there feeling guilty about anything, please message me and I will tell you my potty training story - the moral of which is don't listen to any one person for advice - either listen to them all and choose what fits for you and stick with it or don't listen to any.  I don't know if I was traumatized during potty training as a child, but I certainly was as an adult!  But I digress.

Those 12 things sitting in my overdue list niggle at me regularly, even as I write.  Some are very small things and might even be things I just haven't got round to crossing off.  Others will take time as will the things set on today's list.  So I really haven't got time for blogging.

So what guilts have we got in this blog?

1.  Guilt if I don't do the blog because of my own expectations of blogging one a day.
2.  Guilt of not having a sensible topic.
3.  Guilt of having 12 overdue items on my “to do” list.
4. Guilt of spending time blogging when I have 12 overdue items.
5.  Past guilt of possibly causing trauma to my child during potty training.
6.  Guilt of bringing up past potty training issues.
7.  Guilt of having a blog of little or no substance.

I'll stop there.  Seven is a nice number.  Anymore and I'd have to feel guilty about not ending on a nice number!

If you want the profession's opinion on how to stop feeling guilty follow this link:

How to Stop Feeling Guilty

Otherwise, remember, past is past.  First, check, are you making too big of a deal about your guilt?  Where does it fit in the grand scheme of things?  Are you using guilt to draw attention to yourself?  Second, if you can make amends for whatever it was you did or didn't do and it makes sense to do so, then do it - clean up any mess you've left behind.  Thirdly, put it in the past where it belongs, move on, and work at build-ing strong relationships and keeping your future actions and words clean.  If you can honestly say that you have done all three things, then it is finished - you have nothing to feel guilty about.
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Ross Galán, NLP Spiritual Life Coach
at the Spiritual Life Coaching School