When I posted this to social media, here’s what I said:

THIS! I’ve never heard it expressed this way but this is exactly what many of us feel, fake guilt. Guilt for which we really shouldn’t be feeling guilty at all.

When I decide I need someone out of my intimate life, guilt. When I decide to spend money on myself rather than on others, guilt. When I decide to take personal free time rather than productive time, guilt. So many such situations.

This is something I have been working on and trust me it’s a struggle. I trace it back to being raised by a father who was always beyond accommodating and helpful to everyone even to the detriment of his own needs and emotional health and he also felt any time not being productive was wasted time.