Guilt has played a huge role in my life.
I would never have admitted it before…mainly because I wasn’t aware of it.
But with a lot of self-inquiry comes acknowledgment and acceptance…and this is where the growth through something like this can happen.
In December 2023 I was introduced to a practice of choosing a word to embrace in the next year, and also a word to let go off, and after going within by guided visualisations I chose my two words.
Trust was my word to take through to 2024 (I think this one might deserve a blog all of its own TBC), but GUILT was the one I wanted to surrender.
I can’t explain why I chose it, but this is the beauty of reclaiming space for yourself and your soul…it comes to you out of nowhere (or seemingly so 😉).
In truth it doesn’t come out of nowhere…the space you create enables clarity to come in…if you’ve never tried this practice before, I strongly urge you to give it a go. This works 🫶
So back to guilt!
Even though the purpose of choosing a word to let go of is to try and let go of it, it will come in and test you over the year…it’s like the universe is just checking in with you…
”Are you sure you want to release guilt?”
”Are you really sure?”
“Absolutely sure?”
Over and over again.
I can recall first being aware of the guilt because I was working from home and felt guilty because of it…in retrospect I would have reframed this as gratitude, but this is the thing when you start to do the internal work and acknowledge your feelings…you have to go through them to understand them. It’s all part of the journey.
❗️Guilt because I could choose my working hours
❗️Guilt because I could roll out of bed straight to my desk
❗️Guilt because I didn’t have to answer to a boss
❗️Guilt because I could pop out to meet a friend for coffee
❗️Guilt because I get to choose work that fills me with joy
❗️Guilt because I get to rest
❗️Guilt because there is another way to live
❗️Guilt because doing less is possible
Actually all this guilt built up from many years working normal 9-5 hours in an office environment. In fact it was often longer than 9-5…I’ve chosen to work overtime (even on Christmas Day) in my endeavour to fit in to the narrative that work was who I was. Don’t even get me started on the topic of identity 🥺
So my body has been used to this. To this hard way of living in a world that is geared up to working in masculine energy, trying to fit in with the way of working that requires hard effort, long hours, keeping up with others for fear of not progressing.
When this way of working becomes your norm, trying to change it can bring up all kinds of emotions. They surface quite unexpectedly because we hold stuff like this in our bodies.
And change itself is hard, let’s just acknowledge this please.
If we try and change too much at once, it’s easy to give in and revert to what we’ve always known.
I remember over the years trying to get fit and going all out doing exercises and running and restricting my food intake…then failing. Because it was too much at once for my body and my mind to cope with.
With any changes your brain has to adapt…and if it’s a big change (whatever it is), that voice in your head is suddenly asking you what’s happening and telling you not to make the change. It’s trying to keep you safe because the way you usually are is all it knows. Remember though, it doesn’t know your potential.
So there I was navigating all these changes in my life…changes to what I was used to…and fully feeling the guilt as I progressed through the year.
And it wasn’t that the changes to my working life were new, as I’d been running my own business for several years, but being able to fully feel the emotions it was bringing up made me aware of the guilt.
Once I was aware of it, I could start to do something about it.
This is where the work I have done last year has really paid dividends.
Menopause for me has been a real invitation (actually more of a shove 😂) to slow down, to rest, to take a moment or a pause from the busyness that had been my life for years.
And with this has emerged my number one value…spaciousness. It’s been my absolute anchor ⚓️ because it’s helped me carve out time for my own self care and lean into working a different way.
This is what I’ve used…
🧘♀️ Meditation which has created space for my creativity to come in
📝 Journalling which has helped clear my mind of emotions
⚡️ Reiki which has helped me connect with my inner power
🔮 Oracle cards which have helped guide me
🫶 Looking after my body (think hydration, nutrition, sleep, movement & self care)
Do I still feel guilt? Absolutely…but I recognise it and remind myself that this is a journey. It’s just an emotion that gives me a message. I get to choose what meaning I put to it and how much importance I give it.
Now ask me what my word was that I chose to let go of in 2025…
.
.
.
FEAR
Oh I think this year is going to be interesting 🤣
Revive Intuitive 
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