20/01/2026
Shame:
“I am bad.”
Guilt:
“I did something bad.”
Tiny difference. Massive impact.
Shame attacks who you are:
“I’m a failure. I am the problem.”
Shame tends to shut us down and make us want to hide.
Guilt focuses on what you did:
“I made a mistake. I don’t like how I handled that.”
Guilt can actually guide us towards repair, apology, change.
Next time you’re beating
yourself up, gently ask:
“Is this really about who I am…
or about something I did?”
