Regret

 

 Regret: re·gret
 –verb (used with object)
1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.): He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.
2. to think of with a sense of loss: to regret one's vanished youth.
–noun
3. a sense of loss, disappointment, dissatisfaction, etc.
4. a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment, etc.
5. regrets, a polite, usually formal refusal of an invitation: I sent her my regrets.

We have all experienced a regret of some kind for different reasons and duration. Some are a result of a conscious act on our part while others happened either accidentally to us or to others with whom we empathize with. The key to dealing with regret is to take a positive from the experience and move on, not forgetting, but using the experience as a positive reference lesson in your future.  By replaying the event in our minds, we can choose a new ending using all that we now know. Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go. It drains our energy, leaving less available for life in the present because we are constantly feeding an old issue. This attachment can cause illness the same way watering a dead plant creates decay. We know that something new and beautiful can grow in its place if we only prepare the soil and plant the right seeds.

We also know that we create our lives from our thoughts, so dwelling on the past may actually recreate a situation in our lives where we are forced to make the choice again and again. We can choose to move on right now by applying what we have learned to the present and perhaps even sharing with others, transforming the energy into something that is constructive and creative for ourselves and others.

If the regret is a result of our actions toward others, offer a sincere apology. It is then their choice to forgive or not. We cannot control the actions of others, only our reactions to them. So, if they choose to not forgive, you cannot control that. You can regret your act, offer your apologies and move on, with or without their forgiveness, learning from the experience.

Keeping our minds and our energy fully in the present allows us to fuel our physical and emotional healing and well-being today. This action frees our energy to create the dreams we dream for the future. By taking responsibility and action in the present, we can release our hold on the past and move forward to a positive future.

Blessed Be!