How Not to Let Guilt Run or Ruin Your Life

Emily Williams sitting on a blue leather couch wearing a pink shirt and looking off to the side

When’s the last time someone openly talked to you about guilt? And not just about feeling guilt, but about how it can be really damaging and stand in the way of your dreams? Most of us are not taught this as children. In fact, we’re conditioned to accept guilt by being taught that we’re always supposed to put others first– over our wants, dreams, and deepest desires.

“Oftentimes we build things up in our mind and we’re so nervous to speak our truth. And we allow that guilt to drive us into making a decision that we don’t want to make when we could just be honest with ourselves and have the conversation.” -Emily Williams

Now, what if I told you that didn’t have to be the case? That you’re not actually a bad person for putting yourself first? That saying goodbye to guilt is actually welcoming self-care with open arms? Trust me, this shift in mindset is a game-changer for you (and your business).

That’s why I’m using this episode to break down why it’s imperative that you get a handle on when guilt is running your life (hint: because it can ruin your success). I explain how to identify triggers and feelings of guilt, discuss what to do when guilt comes up (because it will), and dive into ways to shift and move through those feelings so they don’t burden you and hold you back.

Truthfully, while friends and family can make us feel guilty for choosing something we want to do over what they want us to do, we make ourselves feel guilty all the time too. We feel wrong for raising our prices, taking time off from work, and taking time and space for ourselves. We are so quick to plant the seeds of guilt without even realizing it, but it’s imperative to your personal growth to understand why you need to stop letting guilt run (and ruin) your life– like yesterday.

So, join me as I dive into trading guilt for self-love. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a better understanding of why moving through guilt is an incredible opportunity to learn about ourselves (and our desires) and how saying no to those things you really don’t want to do (and letting go of judgment when others do the same) can actually build better relationships.

The bottom line is you deserve to be happy. You deserve to go after your dreams. You deserve the success that will follow. But you need to stop letting guilt in the way. So, my friends, dive into this episode to start learning how.

In this episode…

[02:49] The root of guilt when building a business.

[04:40] Why you need to stop saying yes when you want to say no.

[07:20] How I dealt with guilt from my family (and James!) as I was building my business.

[08:58] Why you need to put yourself first.

[10:55] Being strong in your decisions (especially with how you spend your time).

[12:46] How to navigate guilt with your partner.

[13:43] Getting clear about your desires.

[15:01] Why practicing self-love sometimes involves having hard conversations.

[18:01] Using guilt as manipulation.

[19:24] How you can learn from your guilt and live a life on your terms.

Quotes:

“You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be successful. You deserve to raise your prices. All of that is available for you. When you move through that guilt and step into your power and live life based on your desires.” -Emily Williams

“We get this one shot at life. So don’t we want to enjoy it and really live it to the fullest and live it in the way that is our version of the fullest, not somebody else’s?” -Emily Williams

“Oftentimes we build things up in our mind and we’re so nervous to speak our truth. And we allow that guilt to drive us into making a decision that we don’t want to make when we could just be honest with ourselves and have the conversation.” -Emily Williams

“Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” -Marianne Williamson