Interesting Psychology Team
6 – Being Optimistic
If it’s easy for you to see the positive side of things, even when other people are full of complaints and resentment, you might find that people envy or criticize you for your positivity. But you shouldn’t feel embarrassed or ashamed.
Your optimism is a gift in a world where so many people focus on negativity, hardship, and heartache. Your choice to focus on the ‘good’ will serve you and the people in your life well.
7 – Expressing Your Emotions
Honestly expressing your emotions with tears or a jump for joy is natural, healthy, and even beautiful. So, you should never feel ashamed about expressing yourself. The real shame is how many people feel the need to stifle their emotions.
Some people hide their feelings out of the fear of being perceived as weak or vulnerable. Others worry about being seen as boastful or over-zealous of their successes. Regardless of the feelings, whether positive or negative, subduing your emotional responses for other people isn’t healthy.
It prevents you from fully experiencing emotions and what those emotions can tell you about your needs and wants.
8 – Saying No
Whether someone is offering you something or asking you to do something for them, saying no can be hard to do.
You might feel guilty for passing up on an opportunity, or you might worry that your rejection will be taken as an insult. But if you say yes to things when you really want to say no, then you’re not being authentic to who you are.
You’re pretending to be someone you’re not. Regardless of who you’re speaking to, be it a friend, co-worker, loved one, or even a stranger, saying no and setting boundaries is healthy. Refuse that invitation if you want to, and don’t feel bad about it!
9 – Your Past
Whether it’s something you did or something that happened to you, it’s not unusual to be ashamed of your past. And even when you try your best to stay in the present, the past will always be with you.
But shame will not help you carry the weight of your past experiences. While you can try your best not to let it happen again and hope that no one will experience what you did, shame won’t drive you toward growth.
Instead of feeling ashamed, acknowledge that you can’t change the past and your experiences have had a significant impact on who you are today. So, be proud of how you handled what you went through. You don’t need to hide it from people.
Final Note
Whether your shame comes from who you are, how you behave, what you have, or what happened to you, working toward getting rid of guilt is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
You should never feel bad about being yourself, and if people try to make you feel ashamed for anything we talked about, remember that it reflects who they are more than who you are.
Wherever you feel shame, try to find pride because it will give you power, authenticity, and joy. Can you remember a time when you felt ashamed of something? How did you overcome it? Perhaps sharing your experience can help someone else who’s going through something similar.
