Have you ever said “I wish I woulda, coulda or shoulda done or said something? It’s called regrets. However, here’s the deal–regrets can often hinder wellness. What are regrets? Regrets are actions and activities that we wished we had chosen in life differently. Everyone has regrets; it’s a part of our human nature. However, as Dr. Phil says–how’s that working for us–hanging on to those regrets? Most likely not well. I’ve caught myself in this negative self-talk at times and actually may not have even recognized I was doing it, so personally I needed to revisit this self-care option.
Regrets are typically negative–they drive us to mourn, feel sadness and long for things that have passed us in life one way or another due to our choices. Not only does living in the past negate happiness in our current lives, it also has been proven to compromise health and wellness–dampening the mind and spirit . This in turn burdens us with unhealthful stress. It’s been medically proven that prolonged stress places havoc on every cell of our body. As a review–it raises blood pressure, causes heart attacks, lowers the body’s immune response not to mention it adds to the face of age with undesired wrinkles. The chemistry of the brain is altered and the thinking process can become distorted. If allowed, poor choices can overwhelm our physical and mental wellness. We do have options.
Regrets form whenever we feel discontentment with the present and long for the “woulda’s”. We hold onto “what shoulda” and become lost in guilt of what the present “could’ve been”. Let’s end the vicious cycle and visualize our life in the “now”–recognizing that we need to have faith in the fact that our past choices happened as they should have happened and are what make us who we are now! Let’s let go and choose a healthier path. Our journey can only be enhanced by shedding regret.
The regrets we have for the things we have not let go of and/or for the things we have done are the very things that have brought us to our present life. We made choices. In actuality, the ones we let go of opened us up to other possibilities and those “forks in the road” are exactly where we were supposed to go to be here now. It is an evolution. In fact, often by looking carefully enough, we may find that they hold a lesson.
Releasing regrets open up wonderful spaces within our spiritual world. It allows the opportunity for more creativity in our lives. It’s a matter of realizing that the chains from the past (regret ) hinder our future to grow and prosper with those that we love and who love us.
Feeling the need, I recently found a 365-day self-love, 2 minute meditation program by a well-known motivational author, Louise Hay and also the founder of a publishing company called Hay House. She has authored several new thought, self-help books, including the 1984 book You Can Heal Your Life.
This morning’s meditation on my Insight Timer app by Louise was about “Letting Go”–how about that for timing (thank you Lord). Louise taught us that holding onto the past, no matter how difficult our past, only hurts us and no one else. And she offers this affirmation: “In the infinity of life where I am, everything is perfect, whole and complete. Each one of us experiences the richness of life in ways that are meaningful to us. I now look at my past with love and choose to learn from my experiences. There is no right or wrong–no good or bad–the past is over and done. There is only the experience of the moment. I love myself for bringing myself through the past into the present moment. I share what and who I am for I know we are all one in spirit. All is well in my world and so it is.”
Progress–not perfection Warrior! We all deserve contentment, serenity and happiness.
Covid19 Humor: Ripping off your mask when you get back in the car is the new taking off your bra when you get home.