--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at…" description: "\"Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at what we did or did not do. Resentment is anger directed at others - at what they did or did not do.\" — Peter ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/peter-mcwilliams-2236_anger_guilt-is-anger-directed-at-ourselves-at_2170443.png" --- # Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at what we did or… ![“Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at what we did or did not do. Resentment is anger directed at others - at what they did or did not do.” quote by Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/peter-mcwilliams-2236_anger_guilt-is-anger-directed-at-ourselves-at_2170443.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/peter-mcwilliams-2236_anger_guilt-is-anger-directed-at-ourselves-at_2170443.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c33/peter-mcwilliams-2236_anger_guilt-is-anger-directed-at-ourselves-at_2170443.png) > “Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at what we did or did not do. Resentment is anger directed at others - at what they did or did not do.” [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Guilt targets personal actions, while resentment focuses on others' actions, each shaping emotional responses. **In simple terms:** Guilt blames self; resentment blames others. Key Takeaway Recognize and separate these emotions. Themes emotional awareness personal responsibility relationships Mood reflective insightful Type psychological guidance When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal growth - relationship counseling - workplace dynamics Key Concepts psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your guilt versus resentment? - Can you transform resentment into constructive action? A Different Perspective Resentment can mask underlying guilt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) ## Related quotes > [Guilt is anger directed at ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/guilt-is-anger-directed-at-ourselves/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [“No one taps her deepest gifts through shame, guilt or anger. In fact, if you come from obligation, others smell the sadness in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-kieves/no-one-taps-her-deepest-gifts-through-shame-guilt-or-anger-in-fact-if/) Tama Kieves > [I feel that rich women are soft targets… There's a lot of legitimate resentment and anger about inequality in our culture, about money... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wednesday-martin/i-feel-that-rich-women-are-soft-targets-there-s-a-lot-of-legitimate/) [Wednesday Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wednesday-martin/) > [I believe in any kind of personal growth practice that can help you gather the tools that you can then apply to resentment, anger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/i-believe-in-any-kind-of-personal-growth-practice-that-can-help-you/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [Don't let bitterness, resentment or anger against someone take root in your life, it could be stopping you from your breakthrough. Learn to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-let-bitterness-resentment-or-anger-against-someone-take-root-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ There was no civility, there was no sophistication, there was nothing but raw resentment and anger on the part of the Hillary \[Clinton\] campaign… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-was-no-civility-there-was-no-sophistication-there-was-nothing/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/feelings-like-disappointment-embarrassment-irritation-resentment-2/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“But the anger is not related to him. Long ago, in the course of the sessions with Mother Sugar, I learned that the resentment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/but-the-anger-is-not-related-to-him-long-ago-in-the-course-of-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“Yes, it's hard to start seeing your mother as she is, hard to push aside all the resentment and anger that you may feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-gilles-seidel/yes-it-s-hard-to-start-seeing-your-mother-as-she-is-hard-to-push/) [Kathleen Gilles Seidel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-gilles-seidel/) > [The internal conflict due to passive behavior can lead to stress,resentment, anger feelings of victimization, desire to exact revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/the-internal-conflict-due-to-passive-behavior-can-lead-to-stress/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“- No matter how “perfect” our circumstances are, they don’t change our thoughts about “bad” events from our past that create our sadness, guilt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-elkrief/no-matter-how-perfect-our-circumstances-are-they-don-t-change-our/) [Noah Elkrief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-elkrief/) > [“I'm so hugely tired of carrying all of this inside me, all my guilt and anger and loneliness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-cotugno/i-m-so-hugely-tired-of-carrying-all-of-this-inside-me-all-my-guilt/) [Katie Cotugno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-cotugno/) > [“It's like I've been stuffed full of twigs and all I have to do is bend and my body will break. All the guilt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/it-s-like-i-ve-been-stuffed-full-of-twigs-and-all-i-have-to-do-is/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [One when encounter guilt, anger or betrayal, the repercussion is hardest to ignore.He fight within himself to come out of trauma inflicted.One with strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/one-when-encounter-guilt-anger-or-betrayal-the-repercussion-is/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Bosnia is under my skin. It's the place you cannot leave behind. I was obsessed by the nightmare of it all; there was this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/bosnia-is-under-my-skin-it-s-the-place-you-cannot-leave-behind-i-was/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) ## More by Peter McWilliams > [Heroes became heroes flaws and all gives us hope. "You mean I don't have to be perfect to fulfill my Dream, to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/heroes-became-heroes-flaws-and-all-gives-us-hope-you-mean-i-don-t/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Choosing what you want to do, and when to do it, is an act of creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/choosing-what-you-want-to-do-and-when-to-do-it-is-an-act-of-creation/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [there is nothing to be done. only accept it... and hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/there-is-nothing-to-be-done-only-accept-it-and-hurt/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Nothing adventured, nothing attained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/nothing-adventured-nothing-attained/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [If you want peace with others, don't fight them. Go your own way. Live your own life. If some walk with you, fine. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/if-you-want-peace-with-others-don-t-fight-them-go-your-own-way-live/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Pettiness seems to go hand in hand with vindictiveness. The smaller the person, the larger the need for revenge. This may account for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/pettiness-seems-to-go-hand-in-hand-with-vindictiveness-the-smaller/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Prison is a crash course in the darker side of life. Few survive it without becoming a different person: more cynical, jaded, fearful, angry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/prison-is-a-crash-course-in-the-darker-side-of-life-few-survive-it/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [One of the great joys of life is creativity. Information goes in, gets shuffled about, and comes out in new and interesting ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/one-of-the-great-joys-of-life-is-creativity-information-goes-in-gets/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Nausea is an unsolved problem of medicine and marijuana is the finest anti-nausea medication known to science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/nausea-is-an-unsolved-problem-of-medicine-and-marijuana-is-the-finest/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Worrying is the interest paid on a debt you may not owe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/worrying-is-the-interest-paid-on-a-debt-you-may-not-owe/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Be easier on yourself, on everyone, on everything. Suspend your judgments on the way things should be, must be, and ought to be. Suspending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/be-easier-on-yourself-on-everyone-on-everything-suspend-your/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [I feel that I am entitled to take medicinal marijuana. In general, I believe that everyone who has a doctor's prescription is entitled to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/i-feel-that-i-am-entitled-to-take-medicinal-marijuana-in-general-i/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Running from fear only strengthens fear-you are demonstrating that fear has power over you. Fear must be faced and gone through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/running-from-fear-only-strengthens-fear-you-are-demonstrating-that/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Positive thoughts: joy, happiness, fulfillment, achievement, worthiness, have positive results: enthusiasm, calm, well-being, ease, energy, love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/positive-thoughts-joy-happiness-fulfillment-achievement-worthiness/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Some people think that meditation takes time away from physical accomplishment. Taken to extremes, of course, that's true. Most people, however, find that meditation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/some-people-think-that-meditation-takes-time-away-from-physical/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) [Explore all 177 Peter McWilliams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Guilt is anger directed at ourselves - at what we did or did not do. 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