Allow the Joy in your life, Guilt Free

Why is it that for some of us it can be so difficult to immerse ourselves in all the good in our lives, without feeling guilty? I had a conversation with a client the other day on my Reiki table about why she feels guilty for all the good that is happening in her life. She has a husband she loves and means to live without worrying about money. And now, a new baby. Everything is working out in her favor.

Yet, she feels guilty for what she has, when she looks around and sees people struggling. When she sees homeless people or people who seem angry or depressed, it brings her down. This would seem to be an admirable trait right? Someone who can empathize with the plight of others. Only, it’s not helpful to her or anyone.

Guilt is often rooted in childhood trauma, and it can keep people living in a lower vibration when there is light trying to shine on them. We all have a light within us and we all have our own path in life. We all have the power to create the life we want, regardless of where we came from. When she shared what she was feeling with me, I asked her, “how does it help anyone if you feel guilty for what you have?”

I can speak to this because I am familiar with it. Guilt plagued me for much of my life until I successfully dealt with my inner child trauma. This guilt I had from childhood, often had me putting my feelings aside in order to temper the feelings of the adults and older siblings around me. An example of this in my experience was when I met and really liked my stepmother when I was about 8 years old. I was happy to have a woman in my life who was excited to have a daughter. I enjoyed having her in my life at first, but when I would go visit my Mom every other weekend, she made me feel horribly guilty for liking her. She would say mean things about her and I was encouraged to be a part of this because I didn’t want my Mom to feel bad.

This may seem like it has nothing to do with the homeless in town and feeling bad about the plight of others now, but it does. The child in me became someone who limited my own joy when I could see that others were suffering. And even though the circumstances are different and we are now adults, the inner child in us still reacts the same. The guilt creeps in when there is joy, because the joy triggers guilt.

Everyone has different childhood experiences, but often the reactions from the inner child are the same, and they can live in the body your entire life if you don’t become aware of them. Notice your triggers. Do you ever feel guilty or off when things are going good? Do you ever feel weary when things are going good? Does it provoke profound happiness or does it trigger a little fear or guilt? If you can relate, I recommend the book “Healing Your Lost Inner Child” by Robert Jackman. He explains Inner child trauma, and how to reveal it and help heal from it.

I told my client exactly what I learned about myself and the power and purpose of Joy and gratitude in our lives. To deny joy is to give back a gift from life itself.

Let Light In!

The light that beams from us and the vibration we exude into the world when we allow feelings of joy in our lives helps to lift everyone around us. Sure there are things in the world that if we allow ourselves to be triggered by, we can fall into a lower energetic vibration. But there is light all around. And for some people it is more difficult to see the light than it is for others. So for those of us who can recognize and immerse ourselves in the joy, love, and gratitude that is life, I believe we must.

If we can offer help to others in need, of course we should do so. But feeling guilty for things we have no control over, only serves to bring the collective energy of society down.

Allow the joy. Bathe in the joy of life and others will feel it from you and it will catch on to them like the best kind of virus. When light shines upon you, close your eyes and feel it. Swim in a pool of it. Be it. Everyone around you will be better for the simple presence you bring. We have enough darkness being flung at us, but there is light. The more of us who choose to see it, allow it, and be it, the better life will be for all.