I was in solitude for most of my spiritual journey. Then, my friend-mentor encouraged me to jot down my life stories. Quite naively, when I began sharing my experiences in a forum in 2019, I failed to realize the value of what I had attained.

To my shock, many were jealous, and others started almost falling at my feet — both felt awkward, the latter being more challenging to handle. I was confused and even contemplated if I should quit writing. That’s when my son, 11 years of age then, told me:

Don’t change anything you do; you are just facing the Survivor’s Guilt.

The Guilt of Success

Survivor’s Guilt is a feeling people experience when they escape a situation that wiped out many. For instance, in an extreme scenario, if only one individual survived a devastating natural calamity, they’d feel this guilt.

However, the Survivor’s Guilt is also common amongst those who attain success, becoming a topic of envy for others. More so, if the successful person sees their victory as unfair to those still struggling.

According to psychologists, almost all successful leaders, celebrities, and sports persons have felt this guilt at some point.

Dealing With Survivor’s Guilt

My situation in 2019 was traumatic, like the lone soldier amidst disasters in the featured image. Unfortunately, my spiritual attainments had made me feel the opposite of what I had expected.

I had hoped to experience peace and joy, which I did in solitude. Nevertheless, the judgments and reactions from the world gave me the feeling that I had done something wrong. Rather than appreciate my spiritual achievements, I began to sulk and hide away.

Suddenly, it all made sense when my son labeled my emotional response as the Survivor’s Guilt. That day, I went out alone and celebrated my success. After that, I ignored the negative vibes and focused on my life and cause.

Pride And Compassion

Per the scriptures of Sanatana Dharma (SD), everyone on this planet is divine. Yet, 99.99% of them don’t feel it. I’m amongst the 0.01% that perennially feels her divinity.

Today, I appreciate the value of what I got for my dedicated toil, and I’m immensely proud of myself.

Simultaneously, I also feel compassion for the 99.99% still suffering. So, dropping my Survivor’s Guilt, I trained myself to become a mentor.

Conclusively, the next time you feel delicate, sad, or weird because you succeeded in something, ask yourself — Will you succumb to Survivor’s Guilt? Or would you rather be a beacon of hope and strength to others?

The choice is pretty straightforward in my mind.

Love,
Sri Devi Om