Hi Sofia,

You have shared your guilt and shame with your dad and sister and they have offered you comfort.  This does not make you sound like a horrible person or a monster.  You have released your pent up emotions through your tears.  Perhaps you still have some more crying to do.  I have never heard of anyone who cried forever.  I’m glad that you have been this brave – it must have taken a lot of courage to admit what you had done.

You are not beyond redemption.  You have done some things that you regret.  You may have behaved badly.  You are sorry for what you have done.  You cannot change the things you have done so dwelling on them is not going to make any difference.  Forgive yourself.

Make up your mind that you will never behave like that ever again, you will endeavor to treat others with kindness, love, gratitude, generosity, compassion and so on.  Go out of your way to do at least one kind act each and every day.

Don’t compare yourself to other people.  Give up reading the ‘guilty’ posts.  There are far more important things that you could be doing with your time.  Help someone with their shopping, tend a garden of an elderly neighbor, cook a meal for your family etc.

You won’t have ruined your life if you see these ‘mistakes’ as the making of you instead of the breaking of you.  Every time such thoughts come into your head, say to yourself “I am sorry for what I have done and I now forgive myself”.

You need to let the past go and move on to the present.  It’s where you go from here that is going to make the difference.

Best wishes

Peggy

Move on from the past