Explore the possible source of regret, recognize failures, learn from the past and even make peace with our own being, is part of some of the strategies and attitudes that we must practice to eliminate the remorse of awareness.
Although guilt is a human feeling that we can experience at some point, if we do not learn to manage it assertively, it can be a counterproductive feeling. In any case, the guilt may be legitimate for some act committed or may even be unjustified, depending on each person. In this Psychology-Online article, we will explain how to eliminate pangs of conscience so that you can recover your emotional stability and your inner peace.
Index
- What does it mean to have pangs of conscience
- Identify the reason that causes it
- Evaluate and assume your faults
- practice forgiveness
- open yourself to self pity
- Turn guilt into gratitude
- don't hide your feelings
- Seek professional help
What does it mean to have pangs of conscience.
Having pangs of conscience means experience feelings of guilt, regret or regret for a past action or series of actions. In other words, it is the feeling of acknowledging that you have done something wrong, inappropriate, or harmful, and feeling deep emotional discomfort as a result of this feeling.
This feeling often arises when you think that you have acted against your values, ethical principles or moral norms. They can manifest as intrusive thoughts, feelings of sadness, anguish, anxiety or shame. In addition, they can generate a desire to repair the damage caused or correct the situation in some way.
In other cases, it may be a sign that you admit your mistakes and of what you have an active moral conscience. When they do, they can prompt you to reflect on your actions, learn from them, and take steps to undo any damage done. However, it is also important to balance these feelings with the ability to forgive yourself and seek personal growth.
Identify the reason that causes it.
The first step to making the pangs of your conscience disappear is to identify what is causing it. For example, sometimes we feel guilty for not spending as much time with the family or for not paying more attention to a friendship that has faded.
In any case, it is important to recognize if we really made a mistake or if we acted that way due to the circumstances of the moment. That is, you must learn to stop blaming yourself for things that you could not control.
In the same way, you should also deal if you feel that you have not met someone's expectations, because in that case it is no longer about you, but about the lack of empathy that other people have. The most important thing in this first step is to try to put your thoughts in order so that you know what is causing your inner destabilization.
Evaluate and assume your faults.
It is part of human nature to make mistakes at some point in our lives. In fact, that is what makes us human. Once you accept this, the time has come to assess whether the failure is very serious and what can you doto remedy it.
Within this process, you must also analyze if the action committed is proportional to what you feel to put it all in perspective. Focus on what is important and try to do good from now on, that little by little everything takes its course. In short, assume the responsibility that touches you and move on.
Practice forgiveness.
Learning to forgive situations, actions or words of others (or ourselves) can be an act of courage and maturity. Although it does not always work, in some cases a sincere apology it can help to repair the damage caused by some wrongdoing.
If you have to apologize, do it from the heart so that the other person knows that they are valued and that you intend to make amends. Similarly, forgive yourself and remember that no one is perfect that at some point we can also be wrong. Here we explain What is forgiveness and how to apply it.
Open yourself to self-pity.
Another step to eliminate pangs of conscience is have self pity. That is to say, learn to treat yourself kindly, since your body listens to what you say and thinks of itself.
A good strategy for this is to recognize that you are suffering from your guilty conscience. This, in turn, leads you to accept that you need help to heal and that you must love and accept yourself as you are. Address your own need for love and treat yourself as if you were your own best friend.
Turn guilt into gratitude.
Transforming guilt into gratitude is a visualization technique that can be very helpful. Try to see your remorse or guilt as an experience you had to go through to generate learning and thank the universe for it.
Remember there is nothing wrong with needing help and that it is necessary to thank when people reach out to us.
Don't hide your feelings.
One of the main recommendations to eliminate pangs of conscience is not to try to hide what you feel to prevent these thoughts in your subconscious from doing a lot of damage to your long. Instead, try to talk to people the ones you trust the most to express everything you need to let go.
In this way, your interior will feel more relieved and you will see the situation from another point of view.
Seek professional help.
One of the most important things to focus on on a psychological level is attend to our emotional state and mental health. Therefore, if you experience persistent pangs of conscience and find it difficult to manage, it may be helpful to seek support from a therapist or counselor.
They can help you explore your emotions, understand the reasons behind your actions, and find constructive ways to deal with regrets and move on. In this article, we explain When to talk to a psychologist.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to eliminate pangs of conscience, we recommend that you enter our category of Emotions.
Bibliography
- Worthington Jr., E. L. (2003). Forgiving and Reconciling: Bridges to Wholeness and Hope. InterVarsity Press.
- Tangney, J. P., Stuewig, J., & Mashek, D. J. (2007). Moral emotions and moral behavior. Annual Review of Psychology, 58, 345-372. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.56.091103.070145
