I have a lot to say on this topic apparently. I had said on my previous blog post yesterday, I believe I let guilt almost ruin my life. So if I can help one person realize how guilt is showing up in their own lives, then I have succeed at getting this accross.
My grandmother passed away 6 years ago and up until this point in my life I didn’t experience much anxiety or at least I wasn’t aware of it. Looking back I realize I have always had anxiety, it just wasn’t a huge problem back then. I had no problems sleeping, working, socializing, etc I was in a sense carefree. Granted the last few months of her life I had learned what anxiety was as it started slowing showing up in my life more and more.
It was mothers day when I had talked with her on the phone about how I thought it would be best if I moved in with her so I could be there every single day with her and take care of her. She was ecstatic and thought it was a great idea. I will admit I was slightly tipsy when I made this phone call, as it was a Sunday, and I know I made it seem more possible than it was. Over the next week I realized I made a fake a promise. I felt incredibly guilty. It tore at me and honestly sometimes I find it will pop in my head as if my brain wants to remember the guilt I felt at that time. To this day that phone call still breaks my heart if I think about it, but at the same time I feel as if I have accepted it for what happened, acknowledge my mistake and I won’t make a profound statement like that again to anyone unless I know I can follow through.
My grandmother was my angel, my guardian, my second mother, she was my best friend. The day of her funeral as I was sitting in church with the speech in my hand that I had written about her; her body was wheeled next to me in the casket. I had no idea this was going to happen and all of sudden I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t get the air in my lungs and I started hysterically crying and hyperventilating. I was having my very first panic attack and I didn’t even know it.
But that was also a day I learned I had strength I wasn’t aware I was capable of. I had been called up front to give my speech in the middle of my panic attack. I shook my head no, my dad pushed me forward. I stood up at the alter with my back to crowd as I was still hysterically crying and couldn’t get control over my breath. The pastor asked if I wanted him to read it. And within a few seconds I was able to find my breath, wipe my face, turn around to face a church full of heart broken people and give one of the most important speeches I have ever given. I was able to honor my grandmother just as she wanted me to.
My life slowly started going downhill from that moment on. I couldn’t sleep, I was doing poorly in school, I had started popping pills, I was getting blackout drunk, I was constantly late for work, overall I was making terrible decision in my life that I was also aware of it in a slight degree because the guilt of the whole situation is what destroyed me overall.
I felt guilty that I wasn’t a good student. I felt guilty that I turned into a bad employee when I had such good work ethic. I felt guilty that I was popping pills to numb my pain, I felt guilty of the way I talked and treated people when I was drunk. I felt guilty of how I acted when I was drunk. I felt guilty that I didn’t feel connected with God who my grandma believed in so much. I felt guilty that I wasn’t visiting my gradmas grave more often. I felt guilty that I was still alive and breathing and she wasn’t.
I was also incredibly mad and angry, but that is a another post for another day.
Guilt took me on a downward spiral of worthlessness, intrusive thoughts, anxities, addictions, poor judgments, poor decisions, loss of relationships, pain attacks, countless sleepless nights, and it had especially made me a stranger to my own self.
I relate this all back to guilt because I do fundamentally think that was my probelm. I couldn’t accept what had happened. I couldn’t accept that this was who I was now. I felt guilty every single day for my behaviors and actions.
What do people do when they are trying to run from themselves and the truth? They do anything but acknowledge that there is indeed a problem. They make it everyone elses problem. What we need to learn how to do is accept the situation for what it is, learn from the situation and acknowledge that you could be better. You can be better today, tomorrow and every day going forward.
Don’t let the guilt of your life and past decisions hold you back from your true potential.
With love,
Krista
Authentically_Krista 