When you’ve done something wrong or that someone else perceives to be wrong, do you feel guilty and does it come out in your actions/conversation with the other person?
For example, do you act defensive and make excuses to justify/rationalize your behaviour because of the guilt?
Doing something wrong and doing something that someone perceives to be wrong are two very different things. If I do something wrong and it hurts someone and i know it, I have no problem making things right, in fact I'll go out of my way to do so. IF they perceive something to be wrong, then we definitely don't see things eye to eye on that matter, so really can't do too much about it, but try to explain that to them.
I agree with partyslims..
"Doing something wrong and doing something that someone perceives to be wrong are two very different things. If I do something wrong and it hurts someone and i know it, I have no problem making things right, in fact I'll go out of my way to do so. IF they perceive something to be wrong, then we definitely don't see things eye to eye on that matter, so really can't do too much about it, but try to explain that to them. "
If i do something wrong, i can admit i am wrong, but if someone perceives something wrong, and they ask me i can clarify if not then i know in my heart i did it with a good intention.
I guess it is often easier to make excuses than it is to change ones behavior or guilt. I mean sometimes at work I tend to depress any negative feelings or situations that cause anxiety or guilt.
Rationalizing is such a dangerous, deadly behavior. I try not to make allowances for doing wrong. In the past it prevented me from confronting the true causes of any problems that I had and wrongdoings that I did, getting in the way of effectively deal with them.
Doing this keeps us in a sort of limbo, not quite in the past but not moving into the future either.