DITCH THE GUILT

Does feeling guilty often stop you enjoying life to the full? Learn how to silence your inner critic and kick this negative habit today

- BONNIE VAUGHAN

IT’S probably something you feel a few times before you’ve even had lunch.

You slept in rather than getting up to exercise this morning – guilty. You let your child have a sweet cereal for breakfast instead of a more balanced meal – guilty.

You haven’t called your mom yet – guilty. You let your kid skip one of their school sessions this morning because you hadn’t prepared for the lesson – guilty. You haven’t called your friend back yet – guilty.

Guilt can be a good thing. It can motivate you to try harder and is a reminder that your behaviour affects other people. But when feeling guilty becomes a habit, it can have a seriously negative effect on you.

Research shows that women feel habitual guilt more intensely than men, something that’s probably due more to social conditioning than to chromosomes, but it’s also because of the multiple roles we play in today’s society and the increasing demands of life.

From being the perfect partner and parent to excelling at your job and nurturing your relationships with family and friends – all while eating healthily and exercising regularly so you fit into the “right” clothing size – there’s a lot to live up to. It’s too easy in today’s world to feel you’re falling short. And that’s the ugly side of guilt.

When all guilt does is make you feel bad, or if you feel guilty when you haven’t done anything wrong, it’s simply a waste of energy.

So how can you kick the guilt habit? Start by flipping negative thoughts to positive ones. Here are some solutions to the most common guilt-inducing situations.