Bitterness 1

 Guarding my heart against bitterness and resentment has been a goal of mine for a while. I could detect my mind rehearsing a list of ways that do not or did not measure up. Growing up with an angry father and a perfectionist mother, guilt has been a motivator or a way of being disciplined. But living under a cloud of shame and guilt only leads to discouragement. I hope and pray that I haven’t passed on this cloud to my own kids. A few years ago, I decided to reverse this vicious thought cycle (guilt, try harder, disappointment in self, discouragement) by filling my thought time with gratitude and positive goals. I believe I’ve made progress, but constantly need to clean up my mental mess.