How to Never Regret a Decision Again
“Do you regret going to law school?” I get this all the time. Why would I waste a single second regretting something I can’t change? No matter how much I replay it, beat myself up, blame other people, think about how much better my life would be if I didn’t go... It won’t change the fact that I went to law school. So instead of wasting my time on something I can’t change, I focus on what I want to do with my life from here on out. That doesn’t mean that I can’t learn from my past decisions. I look back and evaluate why I choose to go: ➤ where was I abandoning myself for other people’s approval? ➤ where was I seeking validation instead of listening to my gut? ➤ where was I simply doing what I was told instead of questioning it? I do all of that so that I can make better decisions in the future. But that doesn’t mean I ever spend the time regretting my decision. Because it is done. And I had my reasons (even if I wouldn’t choose those reasons now). And I can have self-compassion for the old me who didn’t know any better. And I gain nothing by torturing myself with regret. Because regret comes from a thought. The thought: “If I hadn’t made that decision, my life would be so much better.” And that’s a lie. I have no idea how my life would have turned out. So I choose not to think that thought. And you can choose the same thing. Because regret is a choice.