Stop Using Guilt as a Motivator

We have all been there. We have something we want to do or a goal we want to accomplish and we start calling ourselves names. We talk down to ourselves, we think and say things we would NEVER say to another person. We do all of this with the goal of motivating ourselves. Reading this probably makes you laugh at the absurdity of it all. Beating yourself up will not motivate you to do more or be better, but we still do it. Stop using guilt as a motivator. 

The Consequences of Using Guilt as a Motivator

You may be well aware that negative self-talk does NOT help you to do much of anything, but do you know of the potential consequences. 

Excessively placing guilt on yourself can:

  1. Create A LOT of stress and anxiety
  2. Lead to sad mood
  3. Lower your self-esteem
  4. Decrease your motivation
  5. Lead to shame
  6. Potentially result in anxiety or major depressive disorders

What Can You Do? 

If guilt seems like a constant companion, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Counseling can help you to identify these types of thought patterns and find ways to improve your self-talk. No, you don’t have to become a toxically positive person, however, we can all work on speaking to ourselves with a little more kindness. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be a great approach to help with this. 

Carolina Counseling Services contracts with skilled and caring licensed therapists who can help you to stop using guilt as a motivator. Don’t be paralyzed by guilt. Call CCS in Durham, NC today to find the therapist that is right for you!

Providers are in network with most major insurances including Aetna, Aetna State Health Plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) and many more. What are you waiting for? Call now!

Jaime Johnson Fitzpatrick LCMHCS, LCAS is one of the Owners and Vice Presidents of Carolina Counseling Services. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist in the State of North Carolina as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in State of New York. Jaime is also certified in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and utilizes various other approaches in her practice.