Guilt is a hazardous substance, and I must handle it with care.  A burden of guilt lowers my self-esteem and makes it harder to be a positive person.  Guilt falls more into the realm of punishment, and its debilitating effects make positive change more difficult.

Guilt has the wrong focus.  It focuses on my weaknesses, failures, and undesirable behavior.  What I focus on expands first into my mind and then into my life.  When I feel guilty, I focus on what is wrong.  This negative focus predisposes me to the repetition of undesirable behavior.  Guilt is a non-resourceful state.  My best opportunity for creating positive change is when I am in an empowered state.  It doesn’t make sense to load myself up with guilt, and then expect my behavior to magically improve.

I don’t punish other people with guilt, and I don’t punish myself with it either.  I don’t put it in my travel bags; lugging around guilt is a waste of energy that I could use to make the world a better place.  If I have a problem, I solve it.  I don’t waste my time feeling guilty about it; I get on with my life and move in the direction of my dreams.

Excerpt from :

Maximum Strength Positive Thinking : What to Say When You Talk to Your Mind

David J Abbott M.D.