Accept, Don't Regret, Your Life | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Accept, Don't Regret, Your Life

"Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind." - C.S. Lewis

37
Accept, Don't Regret, Your Life
The Mentor Network

As another new year rolls around, most of us find ourselves looking forward to all that is possible in the coming months. Many of us set personal goals for our lives - who we want ourselves to be or become and all that we hope to accomplish. These are all great things that should enable us to grow and develop as people, and hopefully help us to live our lives as fully as possible. But as we attempt to turn to the page to the next chapter in life, we also often find ourselves full of regret. We regret what we did not accomplish in previous years or our mistakes of the past. We reflect on what we could've done differently or why we still have not changed certain aspects of our lives. Of course, there is nothing wrong with reflecting on what we can do differently and better, and we most certainly should, but there is a big difference between reflecting and regretting.

Reflection is a healthy and pretty essential part of each one of our lives. We reflect on the bad and the good - the things that didn't go right and also the wonderful memories we have made. Reflection gives us an inner examination that can help guide our future thoughts and actions. Reflection can quickly turn to regret, though, most especially when we think about everything that went wrong in the past week, year, or even decade.

Regret also seems to be a very significant part of human life. None of us are near perfect, and we are not meant to be. Life is also very messy, and there is no perfect or set way to go about living it. Things go awry, the unexpected happens, we seriously mess up, and we end up wishing for what didn't actually happen. These are all a part of the file in our minds labeled Regret. It's typically stockpiled with what we wish we could've done differently, what we did completely and utterly wrong, and what we never actually got around to doing. Regret - different from reflection - is what fills us with a certain sadness and disappointment in not only ourselves, but our lives as well.

Now, sometimes we need this regretful feeling to act as a wake up call for us. It can cause us to realize we have have done wrong or haven't yet done, and thus motivate us to do differently in the future. But we must be careful, for regret can also be a great hindrance. When we only focus on the things we regret, it is impossible to move forward. And the fact of life is that it keeps on moving forward whether we move with it or not. Rather than focusing on what we now cannot change, we should take what we have left and make the most out of it. Ultimately, we need not so much regret, as to accept.

Only by accepting our pasts can we truly move on to all that lies ahead of us. If we keep our heads and hearts in the past tense, we are unable to see all the beauty that's occurring in the present. Even if we are not exactly where we want to be today, it does not mean we can't change tomorrow. The mountain we climb today is what gets us to the valley of tomorrow. The mistakes and missed steps of the past should be used as stepping stones into our future. For if we never mess up or take a wrong turn in the first place, we would never have learned what we now know today. Our past is what molds us into who we are - ever-changing and growing people with all the potential in the world.

Yes, we once again find ourselves in a new year. So let us take our past - all that we have and haven't done, all that we are and are not, all of our experiences - and carry it not as a heavy burden or baggage, but rather carry it as supplies to build something more beautiful than ever before.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

180872
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

7820
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

452915
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23548
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments