OFTEN GUILT is the bad feeling we get when we’ve done something wrong. Although it may originate out of a fear of punishment for not following others’ dictates, guilt can be developed as a touchstone for judging whether or not we are living up to our own ethical standards.
If we don’t wallow in our guilt, it may motivate us to atone for our misconduct, either by making amends or by trying to compensate for our missteps with some particularly worthwhile undertaking.
We can begin by examining our guilt. Do we feel that what we’ve done was truly wrong? Have we really hurt someone else, or are we simply worried that they would disapprove?
When our guilt arises out of a sin of omission— not having fulfilled someone else’s expectation— it requires especially careful examination. Often this sort of guilt turns out to be no more than resentment about unfair or unwanted obligations— resentment we have suppressed and turned on ourselves. When we recognize this, we are better able to shrug off both the guilt and the imposed obligations.
Guilt can be good for us.