Get Over The Guilt

This is a story about chocolate cake and guilt.  

You eat a piece of chocolate cake and it taste incredible.  Then you decide to have a few more bites, and suddenly half the cake is gone.  You start feeling guilty.  You know you should have enjoyed the one piece but you couldn't control yourself and you ate more.  Now the guilt is driving in harder and you start the OH WELL attitude.  Screw it, you say as you finish the rest of the cake.

Moments later you lay down and begin massaging your belly.  A pain swells as equally as your stomach.  Your guilt grows larger and larger.  You begin feeling bad, really bad.  And your body feels awful.  You think you are a failure; and you start asking yourself how you got here?  Was it the pressure from work?  Stress building around you?

Just as you are about to fall asleep your phone rings.  You are invited to dinner with an old, long-lost friend, who is in town for the night but you have to say no.  Not only do you feel bloated and uncomfortable, but you also feel ashamed and shrunken--amiss of proper spirit for a dear friend.  And the guilt builds.  The frustration and anger blossom.

This is a story about chocolate cake and an old friend.

You eat a piece of chocolate cake and it taste incredible.  So incredible, in fact, that you decide to have another piece of cake.  But before you do, you grab a salt shaker and begin dumping a protective barrier of salt over the rest of the cake, ruining any chance of further consumption.  You don't want to make any bad decisions and you know you will if the cake stays within a forks reach.

The next piece of cake is placed as if it is the last in the world, one island amid a vast ocean of counter-top.  You approach it with awe and reverence.  The fork fits perfectly in your hand as you break the crunch of the top and glide through the soft body, finally, dancing the fork to your mouth.  Your eyes close and your shoulders sink as the first bite hits you.  Smoothing the cake out with your tongue and chewing slowly, a guttural voice of pleasure escapes your throat.

As you approach your last bite you realize the phone has been ringing.  The heightened tasting session apparently left your ears deaf.  You race to the phone, licking your fingers, and say hello to an old, long-lost friend, who is in town for the night, and you immediately invite them over.

The door bells rings.  You open the door to your old, long-lost friend, who has another cake in hand.

...     ...     ...

 
Guilt is an emotional warning sign to recognize when we do something wrong, or do something that shouldn't be repeated. Guilt either becomes a forced transition or a descending asteroid of unhappiness.  Either we obsess and the bad feelings keep going, ultimately leading to self-destructive behavior, or we forget about perfection and take control of the controllable.

The next time you feel guilty...

Accept Your Leading Action

Acknowledge the Guilt

Learn the Lesson

Move On

and

GET OVER THE GUILT!