A therapist once said to me, “If you face the choice…
““A therapist once said to me, “If you face the choice between feeling guilt and resentment, choose the guilt every time.” It is wisdom I have passed on to many others since. If a refusal saddles you with guilt, while consent leaves resentment in its wake, opt for the guilt. Resentment is soul suicide. Negative thinking allows us to gaze unflinchingly on our own behalf at what does not work. We have seen in study after study that compulsive positive thinkers are more likely to develop disease and less likely to survive. Genuine positive thinking — or, more deeply, positive being — empowers us to know that we have nothing to fear from truth. “Health is not just a matter of thinking happy thoughts,” writes the molecular researcher Candace Pert. “Sometimes the biggest impetus to healing can come from jump-starting the immune system with a burst of long-suppressed anger.” Anger, or the healthy experience of it, is one of the seven A’s of healing. Each of the seven A’s addresses one of the embedded visceral beliefs that predispose to illness and undermine healing.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Choosing guilt over resentment encourages honest self‑assessment, preventing self‑sabotage and fostering authentic healing.
In simple terms: Pick guilt to face truth, not resentment.
Key Takeaway
Embrace guilt, avoid resentment.
Themes
self‑awareness
healing
emotions
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- personal reflection
- conflict resolution
- health coaching
Key Concepts
psychology
integrative medicine
emotional intelligence
Questions to Reflect On
- How does guilt reveal hidden truths?
- When might resentment be a protective response?
A Different Perspective
Guilt can be paralyzing if not processed constructively.