How to deal with regret
Regret is recognised as one of the most powerful emotions and it’s difficult to just forget and move on with your life. Additionally, when you don’t deal with it, it can be extremely paralysing. Regret brings about other emotions such as fear, anger and even sadness. It even has the ability to interject its destructive presence into the happiest of moments.
Despite the difficulties, it is important to try and deal with regret and attempt to move on from it. We have created a list of 4 ways you can deal with regret..
- Accept it
The choices and mistakes you have made are real. They have happened and you can’t change the past. We don’t have the ability to go back in time to change our decisions and choices. It’s time to embrace the reality and acknowledge that the truth is the first step toward moving on from regret.
- Forgive yourself
Show yourself some forgiveness. Stop beating yourself up for doing something that you can’t undo. Do what you can for yourself at this very moment and open your heart to grace and the relief that comes from no longer carrying a burden of blame. Forgiving yourself won’t negate the thing you regret, but it will surely lighten the power it holds over you.
- Make amends
If the thing you regret has upset someone else, apologise without excuses and do it with sincerity. Do what you can to make amends without overcompensating. Regret can make one’s thoughts a bit cloudy, so try your best to not explain your reasons for upsetting them. Just be honest and straight to the point.
- Learn from it
Leave the past in the past. As Rafiki from the Lion King has said “The past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it”. Use your regret as a learning lesson. Don’t keep talking about your mistakes and decisions. The more you give them a voice, the larger they will appear. Being constantly reminded of regrettable actions only results in misery. Learn and keep on moving!
Regret is powerful and it is easy to get stuck in a cycle of fear and sadness. We hope these 4 points help you accept and learn from whatever regret you’re holding onto.
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Thank you for this it is really encouraging to understand that one is not alone in times of uncertainty and regret.
Hi Bongiwe. Indeed, we are currently living in such difficult times and it’s important to know that you are not alone!
The sad truth in this 🙁
These tips will definitely help though, thank you very much 🙂
Hi Lusanda! We just have to take it one step at a time!