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The holidays are prime time for Guilt Monsters to creep in and as we reflect on what happened or didn’t happen during the year. We need to be careful not to focus only on the things that we “should have done”, but to also look at the awesome things we did accomplish. In this blog post, I want to talk to you about Guilt Monsters, late-night thoughts and how overthinking can keep you from achieving your goals.
What are Guilt Monsters?
Guilt Monsters are the nagging voices inside your head. They grab hold of your subconscious and won’t let go. Guilt Monsters can be activated by a decision we made and it didn’t turn out the way we wanted, guilt for “not working hard enough” or for not spending enough time with our kids, guilt for not being healthy enough, the list goes on and on. The Guilt Monsters have lots of content to torment us with.
Sometimes it can take you into a deep pit for something that happened years ago. You find yourself replaying events from the past over and over again in your head wishing you could have changed it or find a solution for it now. This does NOT serve you. You can’t change the past and reminisce over it does nothing but keep you awake at night.
Sometimes the Guilt Monsters are younger. You are unsure or anxious about current issues. You can’t stop thinking about the decisions you are making and worrying about the outcomes… Maybe you are blaming yourself for not working enough or perhaps for working too much. Regardless of what it is, this pattern of overthinking makes you stress over and second-guess every step you take. This does NOT serve you.
Overthinking keeps you from taking action
When you are stuck trying to change something that already happened in the past you can’t think or move forward. This can become a vicious cycle where you are always feeling guilty because you can’t progress.
Fear of taking action doesn’t allow you to execute your amazing ideas and plans. . A lot of us have the fear of failing that is so intense that the Guilt Monsters see this as an open invitation to tell you that you can’t launch a new product yet because it isn’t perfect or you didn’t do it the way you had thought you would so why bother? It won’t be good enough. . These thoughts can be paralyzing!
You need to learn to be okay with trying and failing because that’s the only way you will learn what will actually work for you. When you understand that making mistakes has a role in your growth and progress you can slap some duct tape of your Guilt Monsters.
How to get rid of Guilt Monsters?
Guilt Monsters are a product of stories we tell ourselves or stories that we have been told. Falsehoods that we can only be happy and successful if we are doing A, B and C. Sometimes we carry these stories for a very long time even though they no longer serve us. I know this sounds crazy, but you have the power to change the story. I am not saying it is easy, it’s a process of learning how to recognize when the Guilt Monsters start to creep in. Banish them by declaring “this is my truth” and changing the story.
Changing how you approach or deal with a situation can also save you. For example, I used to have a lot of Guilt Monsters when it came to spending time with my family and spending time in my business. I was always feeling guilty because no matter what I was doing I was thinking about how I wasn’t doing something else that was also important. I learned to overcome this guilt by being fully present in the moment. When I am with my children I do not about my business. When I am working on my business I am not thinking about my children. The Guilt Monsters are no longer being fed and fuelled.
We also need to recognize and honour that our Guilt Monsters can have something to teach us. Sometimes our inner voice is trying to reveal something about ourselves. When this is the case we need to embrace the insight and figure out what we can change to make our lives better. This mini Guilt Monster has done its job and then it is time to bless and release. We can make it better.
Sometimes we need a short-term fix
When Guilt Monsters are keeping you from sleeping or living a normal life then that becomes a problem for your health and well-being. Working on changing stories and learning how to get rid of these thoughts is very important. There are actions that you can take to relieve the “in the moment stress” so you feel better and can go on with your life.
Whenever I am having troubling thoughts at night I read a fictional book to escape.. I can focus on the characters and their situations. It is so easy because it’s just fiction. Sometimes I even like to stop in the middle of a chapter and play out in my head how I think the rest of the chapter should unfold. Other times when the Guilt Monsters are persistent and reading doesn’t work, I get up and journal. I let it all out so I can rest again.
There are many tricks and what works for me won’t necessarily work for you. Maybe your solution is meditating or listening to music or practicing breathing exercises. I want you to know there are many different ways to shift the Guilt Monsters out of your way so that you can move forward with your life in your business. You can be successful! When you shift the Guilt Monsters you turn off the nonsense. It’s peaceful and beautiful, and anything possible.
You control the story…
Remember you can change the story. You can take control and choose what is your truth. Decide what serves you. It is important to learn from your mistakes and then let them go. Go and apply your knowledge to your new goals and your future plans. The only way to get to your goals is by taking action. Banish the Guilt Monsters and shine.
If you need some help with conquering your goals and staying on track in 2022 sign up for my Planning Party membership. During my yearly and quarterly Rockstar Planning Parties, I will teach you how to set goals, plan and take action! We check in throughout the year to make sure goals stay on track and help you with your necessary adjustments… PLUS you receive a FREE Rockstar Business Planner as a gift with membership!
