WHAT IS GUILT? AN EMOTION THAT CAN GUIDE YOU OR DESTROY YOU
Guilt is a moral emotion that appears when we feel we have done something wrong, caused harm, failed to honor an important value, or neglected a responsibility we believe was ours. It can be a useful signal of conscience, because it helps us pause, look at what happened, and ask ourselves what we need to do to repair. However, guilt can also become a destructive burden. When it stops helping us correct our behavior and starts punishing us, it no longer guides us: it traps us. At that point, the person no longer simply thinks, “I made a mistake,” but begins to believe, “I am worthless,” “I do not deserve peace,” “I do not deserve love,” or “I do not deserve to live with dignity.” That is why it is important to distinguish between guilt that helps us repair and guilt that destroys us. Not every feeling of guilt should be obeyed without reflection. Some forms of guilt call us to take responsibility; others need to be questioned, processed, or returned to the person to whom they truly b...