Today, we’re diving deep into an emotion that doesn’t often get the love it deserves: Guilt. An emotion we tend to push away, hide from, or drown out.

But what if — instead of resisting guilt — we got curious about it? What if guilt wasn’t here to punish us… But to guide us?

Today on I Love Me The Podcast we’re exploring the true purpose of guilt, and how to use this emotion to evolve into a more aligned, heart-centred being.

 

Simple, inspiring lessons in self-love. Hello beautiful, it’s Tamra here.

Can you remember the last time you felt guilty about something?

Maybe you still feel that emotion…

Well, guilt is a natural and normal human emotion.

Guilt arises when we experience internal conflict about something we did — or didn’t do — that may have hurt someone else, directly or indirectly.

It’s a sign that our values and actions weren’t aligned.

In order to feel guilt, there needs to be judgment — a sense that something we did was wrong.

But here’s the twist:

Guilt, at its core, isn’t bad.

It’s regret mixed with reflection.

It’s an educational emotion — here to say:

‘Hey… that didn’t feel right. Let’s not do that again.’

While we can’t change the past, we can change how we relate to it.

And that’s the true gift of this uncomfortable emotion:

It offers us an opportunity to grow, to evolve, to step into deeper alignment.

Now, here’s something important to remember:

Whatever you did that triggered the guilt —

At the time, some part of you thought it was a good idea.

You were acting from a limited view of yourself or the situation.

So, instead of shaming yourself, try this instead:

Pause.

Reflect.

Ask yourself: ‘Why did I do that?’

And then: ‘What can I learn from that?’

This is how guilt becomes a stepping stone toward becoming a more authentic, more loving version of you.

Because the truth is — we’re all learning.

Every. Single. One of us.

As long as we’re willing to look at our past behaviours with honesty and compassion, guilt becomes a catalyst for real, meaningful change.

But if we take the old-school, religious view — that we’ve sinned and are therefore bad — we move away from self-love into self-punishment.

That’s not healing.

That’s shame in disguise.

So next time that voice in your head says:

‘I should have known better!’

Question that thought.

Why should I have known better?

Have I experienced this before?

What can I do differently next time?’

Because true transformation happens not when we punish ourselves —

But when we believe in ourselves enough to grow.

Now let’s talk about the body — because guilt doesn’t just live in the mind.

It lives in the cells, the hips, the heart, the gut.

Left unresolved, guilt can turn into chronic stress.

Over time, it contributes to issues like:

• Pelvic pain, endometriosis, or fertility struggles in women
• Guilt is often described as ‘eating you up inside’, leading to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcers, indigestion or loss of appetite.
• Heart palpitations, tightness in the chest
• Sleep disturbances, migraines, low libido – these can all be traced back to holding unresolved guilt
• And yes, sometimes even immune issues or chronic illness.

I’ve seen it time and time again in my One-on-One Intensive.
When we clear guilt — along with other blocked emotions — the body heals in remarkable ways.

You see, guilt creates internal division.
And when we’re divided on the inside, we leak energy on the outside.

Take this simple example:

You feel guilty for not spending enough time with your kids.

So what do you do?

You beat yourself up.

But now you’re stuck in a guilt spiral, feeling worse about yourself.

Which ironically drains the very energy you need to be more present with your kids.

A better path?

Pause.

Reflect.

Ask: ‘Do I want to spend more time with my kids?’

And if the answer is yes —

‘How can I make that happen moving forward?’

In this way, we can use guilt to inspire us forth, into making more aligned choices and decisions for ourself and the people around us.

The important thing to understand, is that guilt isn’t asking us to suffer.
It’s asking us to make a change.

And if we’re willing to honestly reflect on how that change can happen, then guilt has served its purpose, and can leave.

Now, one important warning…

If guilt is ignored, it festers.

And festering guilt can become a driving force behind the very behaviours you feel guilty about.

For example, binge eating.

The more guilt you feel after overeating, the more likely you are to repeat it.

Why?

Because guilt disconnects us from love.

When you feel like there’s something missing, you start to develop a great hunger within you.

Problem is, it’s not food you’re hungry for.

It’s love.

You’re trying to fill a void that only ‘love’ can fill.

I dive deeper into the emotional root cause of binge eating in Episode 44.

Ok… let’s recap:

Guilt is not your enemy.

It’s not here to shame you or keep you small.

It’s here as a messenger.

It says:

‘Something you did doesn’t match who you truely are.’

And that’s actually a beautiful thing.

It means you care.

It means you’re conscious.

When you’re willing to sit with your guilt, ask it what it wants to show you…

Then use that insight to make loving change…

Guilt transforms from a burden into a bridge.

A bridge that brings you back to your integrity.

Back to your truth.

Back to love.

So, if guilt has been visiting you lately, don’t push it away.

Sit with it.

Listen to it.

Let it show you what you need to change.

And then — when you’re ready…

Let it go.

You don’t need to punish yourself to be better.

You just need to love yourself enough to grow.

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love it if you shared it with someone who might need a little extra love today.

And if you’re feeling called to release some deeper emotional blocks — including guilt — check out my One-on-One Intensive.

Until next time, be gentle with yourself, and if you are looking for some more self-loving resources, sign up for my free Self-Love Starter’s Kit, which includes four foundational practices in self-love.