All the G.U.I.L.T. and for what?

Unpacking the emotional virus we didn't ask for.

What is guilt, really? Why do so many of us carry it around like a second skin? And seriously - how the hell do we get a grip on it? Guilt means "crime, sin, or offense" so seriously why are we always feeling guilty.

This question has come up in countless conversations - with friends, family, clients, and, let’s be honest, within my own mind more times than I can count. Guilt as a daughter. Guilt as a partner. Guilt in motherhood. Guilt around work. Guilt around rest. Guilt around confidence, courage, worthiness… the list is endless.

It’s like guilt has set up shop in our psyche, commanding attention at every turn on our path. But where does it come from? And more importantly, how do we see it and let it go before it continues to disrupts our present moment awareness?

Let’s start with some context. I was raised Catholic - which meant I was taught that I was born sinful. That from the moment I entered this world, I needed redemption. So yeah, guilt got planted early. The idea that someone (ahem, Jesus) died for my sins creates a complex emotional equation: be good, or you’re not only disappointing your loved ones - you’re disappointing God.

And then there’s the feminine layer. The shame stitched into stories like Mary Magdalene’s - reduced to a “whore” in the Bible despite being one of Jesus’ most devoted companions. Or the women labeled witches, burned for their knowledge of herbs, intuition, and healing. Guilt, historically, has been a tool used to suppress power - especially the goddess feminine power.

So here we are: modern women carrying ancient guilt. Guilt that isn’t always rational. Guilt that says, you’re guilty of something, even when you’ve done nothing wrong. What a verdict to live up to.

But here’s the invitation: the next time you feel that wave of guilt, pause. Ask yourself:

    •    What am I actually guilty of?

    •    Is this mine - or something I’ve absorbed?

    •    Where do I feel it in my body?

    •    Can I let it go?

As Byron Katie would say, “How does this thought make me feel?” If the answer is heavy, contracted, or unworthy… you have the power to question it. Because most of the time, guilt isn’t truth - it’s a learned emotional reflex and it takes you out of the present moment and disrupts your own harmony.

Maybe guilt isn’t a moral compass after all. Maybe it’s just a glitch in the system - a collective emotional virus whispering, you’re not enough. Sound pretty useless at this point of the game yet here we are still accepting it like its our verdict.

But here’s the truth:

You are more than enough.

You will most definitley disappoint people.

You will say the wrong thing sometimes.

You will be misunderstood.

And still - you are beyond worthy. You are whole. You are not guilty.

You’re just a beautifully imperfect human learning how to move from survival into the freedom of enoughness.