AS SEEN IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

Why do women feel so much guilt? We're guilty when we don't do what we think we should, when others get upset with us, even when we indulge in moments of pleasure. In Guilt Free, psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Reid invites us to let go of all this guilt so we can start making choices based on what we want and need rather than what we think we should be doing.

Some guilt is good, even necessary, but women are uniquely socialized to hold themselves to unrealistic expectations. Guilt drives us to take on more than we should, and do things that we don't truly want to do. Any time we fall short — and we will, because we're human — there it crops up: guilt.

It's too much, and it doesn't have to be this way.