Sunny guilt is a funny thing. It’s something that may come from within you or possibly from those around you. It’s about feeling happy or laughing while you are also sad.
Sunny days can be a bit of a minefield, as they are the days we feel more like we can get things done. We might meet up with friends or family, enjoy their company or go out for a meal or a nice trip. Feeling good is good. There is absolutely no need to feel guilty about having unexpected moments of joy.
In fact, it is these sunny moments that will help carry us through the cloudy ones. The knowledge that we can still feel positive in some ways is a healthy message to our body and brain. Sunny days will improve our general wellbeing, our sense of purpose and may allow us to tick of a few practical things that give us some mental space too.
Guilt is very common, it can come at you for all sorts of reasons. There may be some real issues there that you need to talk through with someone you trust, possibly a professional listener. There may just be the random guilt that all bereaved people experience, and that takes time to work itself out.
Your personal situation will have a huge impact on the level and type of guilt that you feel. It’s worth giving it a good look at some point, when you feel ready, to exorcise it. If we allow guilt to hang around, it will begin to impact our relationships, wellbeing and physical health.
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Challenges to Try
*Speak to someone you trust, tell them first if you want to just ‘unpack’ your feelings, or if you want feedback too.
*Journal about your feelings, sometimes when we write them down they take on a different strength, and you can pull them apart more easily.
*If you genuinely have things to feel guilty about, you may need support from a professional to work through how to deal with them.
*Think of an activity you can do RIGHT NOW that will help you feel better. Make a cup of tea, put out the bins, get some fresh air, phone a friend. And then DO IT.
*Make a list of positive quotes, messages or reinforcements that speak to you in some way and keep them handy for other sunny guilt moments.
*Allow yourself 30 mins (you need to actually time this) to feel the guilt, then move back to the sunny activity or feeling.