If you could go back and change one thing in your life, what would it be?
/Compelling questions help to focus us to think more deeply and opens the door to self-examination.
We can all relate to regret. We’ve all failed to take full advantage of opportunities. We’ve all said and done things we wish we could take back. Last week I had to revisit a part a my life that didn’t turn out the way I had hoped. Feelings of regret and shame came into my awareness. As I spent some time sitting with those feelings, I realized that I can’t change the past, but I can make the future better than my past.
The key to overcoming regret is our ability to take complete responsibility for our actions. Here are a few tips that can improve your relationship with regret.
Be grateful. Regret involves looking back and focusing on what you did or didn’t do. Gratitude involves recognizing those things that are good in your life. Gratitude can be a good remedy for regret.
Avoid awful people. The last thing anyone needs is awful people in their life. You’ll have less regret if you surround yourself with kind, loving people. Jettison the people from your life that do more harm than good.
Decide what you’re going to do today. Put your attention on today and what you can accomplish. Regret has a way of filling our minds and our time. Bring your attention back to today and make the most of it.
Say that you’re sorry. If you did or said something that you regret, speak up and let them know you’re sorry. That might be the solution to your issue.
Find a path to improvement. If you’re feeling regret, there’s room for improvement in your life. Find a few things you can change that will decrease the odds of feeling regretful in the future. There’s always something that can be enhanced to make your life better.
Be bolder. Many of us regret not taking more chances in the past. You can prevent the same thing from happening in the future by being bold from this point forward.
Speak up next time. Do you regret not voicing your opinion? Ensure you speak up in the future. It’s not always easy to say what’s on your mind, but it’s not easy to live with not saying it, either. Be bold and just say it.
Make a plan for the future. Focus on building a life you enjoy and respect. Set a few goals and make something happen. Creating a great life is an effective way to deal with regret. The most important thing is to minimize the amount of regret you feel in the future.
Accept your current situation. Accept where you are. Once you accept your current position, you can move forward and create something new. There’s no point in fighting the current truth. Create a new truth.
Take responsibility. It easiest to just accept the fact that you’ve made mistakes and take responsibility for your regret. You can also take responsibility for your future.
Regrets accumulate over the years. Most regrets are related to failing to do something. We tend to regret those things we didn’t do more than the things we did do. Fear is the greatest cause of regret. Fear of failure. Fear of making a fool of ourselves.
There’s not a lot that can be done about missed opportunities, but there is a lot you can do to prevent future regrets. I invite you to be bold and be willing to apologize when necessary. Accept full responsibility for your life and be determined to make it a life that you enjoy.
