Overcoming Guilt - How to Free Yourself From a Guilty Conscience

Guilt is not a healthy thing to keep bottled up within you as you go through life, whether you think you have to hold on to it or not. Guilt is often the result of a refusal to accept that we make mistakes, we will all have failures and no one is immune to these facts of life.
It is also important to know that guilt does not have to be negative.
Guilt can create positive outcomes when it is used to correct something in your life that has gone wrong, or improve something that was lacking.
Nevertheless, there will always be some instances where unresolved guilt will remain. It is at this point that the guilt can begin to consume thoughts, damage lives and cause real harm.
Learning how to let go of the guilt that has been weighing you down can be amazingly uplifting, leaving you feeling immensely better when that burden is removed.
The first question you must ask is why you feel guilty.
In order to rid yourself of the guilt, you must first understand exactly what it is you are feeling guilty about.
There are some basic causes of guilt that could be causing the problem:
* You are not accepted by others or think the thoughts you're having are wrong.
* You feel responsible for something bad that has happened to you or someone else.
* You feel obligated to do something for someone for the wrong reasons.
* You never did something or said something important to someone and now you'll never get the chance.
Resolving your guilt.
After determining the root cause of your guilty feelings, you must face and accept the situation that you are feeling guilty about. Living with the guilt consuming you is harmful to you and everyone around you.
There are things you can do to help you work through these feelings:
1.  The past is past, it can not be undone, and it should be left alone. We will all do something wrong, but beating yourself up over doing something wrong won't make it any different or right; the past can't be changed. It is important to do what you can to make amends for the wrongdoing, learn what you can from the situation, make a commitment not to repeat the mistake, and then let it go and move forward. That's all that can be done about a mistake that has already been made.
2.  Problems should be fixed. If there is an ongoing problem that is creating the guilt, that problem should be corrected. Correcting the problem is the primary thing that should be done, it is important to realize that continuing to feel guilty in this situation will not be beneficial to anyone. Work to overcome and correct the situation, and then let the guilt go knowing that you have done the best you can to set things right.
3.  Give yourself permission to be human. You may have set your expectations for yourself so high that you fail to meet them, so you need to bring your expectations back down to realistic levels for yourself. You should always strive to do your best, and if you have done your best, then it's time to allow yourself to be human and stop feeling guilty.
4.  Talk it out with friends, family, or professionals. You may find that a good friend or close sibling has experienced something similar. Asking for their help, asking how they handled it, may provide valuable insight that can help you to let go of the guilt.
5.  You can and should forgive yourself. We are all humans and humans make mistakes. No one is an exception. No one is perfect, and you should not expect perfection of yourself. You can make a conscious decision to forgive yourself, and this will help you let go of your guilt.
Only you can make this decision.
You will find there are people who will try to make you feel guilty just to bring you down. These people may even be family members or close friends. It is important to make a conscious decision that you will not fall victim to this. By being aware of when someone is trying to make you feel guilty without cause, you will be able to stop it. It is a choice that you can and should make for yourself!
Your physical and mental health will suffer if you live with constant feelings of guilt. But these tips can help you to let go of the guilt and really enjoy your life.