Be Gentle With Yourself

You instinctively know how to calm a frightened child or animal down, by getting down to its level, by moving slowly and gently, and talking calmly and quietly.  You have to recognise that when you live with guilt, that guilt may very well present itself the same as a frightened child, as you can feel unsure or uncertain how to proceed.  Think of yourself as that child, that needs reassurance that everything will be okay, and to be encouraged to trust your own ability to figure things out.

If you have lived with guilt for a while, the change won’t necessarily come overnight, but it will come quicker if you are kinder to yourself in the process.