All of us feel guilty at some point in our lives which is normal, especially if we are really at fault. Guilt can weigh us down and tamper with our normal functioning of the mind and body. If you are guilty about something that you have done, here are some ways to deal with it.
Accept your guilt
When you are guilty and feel that you have really been wrong in doing it, you must regret your actions and accept your guilt. Accepting your guilt and understanding the fact that there is nothing that you can possibly do to change it will help you cope with the situation and make amends for your action. Acceptance of your guilt will also help you realize the gravity of your action and how much hurt you have caused the person involved. It will also help you apologize appropriately so that you as well as the person involved will feel much better. Understanding your guilt is the first step toward regret and this will help you curtail your actions next time on so that such incidences do not happen again.
Apologize to the person who is hurt
When you are guilty of hurting someone or someoneâs sentiments, it is the hurt that you have caused to that person that need to be predominant in your mind than your own regret. Apologizing to the person is an important step towards correcting your mistake. Approach the person and tell him/her how sorry you are about the whole episode and how you regret your actions. Do everything possible to make that person get out of his hurt. If you have caused bodily harm or have destroyed some personal belongings of the person, ensure that you do your best to make up for that. Try to discuss the problem and understand his/her mental makeup. Ensure that he/she does not harbor any ill feelings towards you after you apologize. This is especially important if you are closely associated with the person, personally or professionally, so that you can deal with him/her without any reserve.
Do not confess if you will hurt people
If your guilt is such that it involves a lot of people and confessing it would cause a lot of heartache and trouble, it is best to keep the guilt to yourself. In such cases, even if you feel guilty, ensure that the guilt remains within yourself, especially if the concerned people do not suspect you and have come to terms with the incident and moved on in life. Make sure that you do not repeat the act again and ensure that you do something good to these people in other ways to make up for your actions. This must be done without causing any suspicion in them. Doing something to make up for your guilt is your penance to get out of your guilty mind and a constant reminder that you have to be careful not to hurt anyone again.
Learn from your mistakes
Learning from your mistakes does not come naturally for most people who have done wrong to others. It is only when you regret your mistake deeply that you will learn from it. Train your mind to avoid habits and behaviors that you feel is not right for you or will hurt anyone. This requires practice. Note down ways by which you can avoid trouble. Take help from friends and relatives to remind you about your bad ways so that you can consciously avoid these instances. If you have had the habit of hurting people deliberately for long, it would take great efforts and help from others to stop this habit. Tell your friends and relatives to openly point out mistakes in case you are behaving in a manner that hurts them. This will help you to keep track of your weak points and avoid these habits consciously, without hurting anyone and feeling guilty.
Speak to a therapist
Some habits and feelings of guilt will be so deeply etched in your mind that you need the help of a therapist to get out of it. If the guilt is very deep and you have caused great trauma to others, you need relief from this guilt through counseling. If the person who has been wronged has got over the trauma, you may either choose to talk to him in the presence of your counselor or take the guidance of the therapist to practice some meditative and relaxation exercises that will help you relax your mind and body and get over the guilt.
