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You’re racked with guilt.

Whatever you did last weekendis killing you.

Whatever you said-to whomever you didn’t mean to say it-has your head inches from the oven.

First, step away from the oven. Don’t fret! You need an exorcism. Luckily, you can get one without a prescription, in five simple steps…

Step 1: Perspective Saves Lives

When things go bad, the most important thing to get is perspective. ASAP. Before the weekend began, you probably liked yourself just fine. But whatever you did has you feeling villainous and cruel. This exercise will bring much needed humor to the havoc of your feelings.

Step 2: Exile The Villains On Paper

The intent is to identify each of the voices in your head that are tearing you down. And then let them talk amongst themselves—on paper.

Step 3: Give a name to each voice

The one that calls you a screw-up when you walk past the mirror? Name it. Is that Betty? Clothilde? Raul?

Step 4: Write down what each voice says

That incessant curse, the sad defense, write them all down next to the names of the voices speaking them.

Step 5: Now for the best part

Let them hash it out on paper. Write the dialogue of what they say to each other. Don’t think, just let it out. They will have plenty to say without your invention.

Let them go until they have exhausted themselves. When you let your guilty voices out of the prison of your head, you defuse the self-conflict that is feeding them. Chances are good you will be laughing at their originality and wit, and then voila. Perspective gained. Try it. Writing yourself free is salvation.

Recommended and Related

Escaping Toxic Guilt, by Susan Carrell.

Photo by Robyn Gallagher.