Dear Regret: You Are My Teacher

There are more times than I can count that I have walked away from a relationship, or situation and felt a sense of regret. I would tell myself that I knew better and then came the hamster wheel of thoughts including the should have, would have, and could have. Regret is a very difficult feeling to have to sit with and one that can plague us for years to come.


I can think of many times that I regretted a certain behavior of mine, or how I handled a certain situation. I know that the saying goes to “live life without regrets,” and for the most part, I do, however, I also replay certain events over and over because they didn’t pan out how I had hoped. I don’t regret anything 100% in life because I believe that everything happens for a reason, but if I was able to go back in time I would have done certain parts and situations of my life differently.


The most recent situations that I regret are how I handled the end of a relationship and how I handled a conflict at my old job. As hard as it is, there is no use dwelling on the past because what is done is done and there is no way possible to change any of it. What can we change? We can change the way we respond to a similar situation in the future, we can learn from what we didn’t like about something in our lives and we can grow from it and try to implement it in our daily lives today and moving forward.


Regret is a teacher in our lives. When you feel a sense of regret, that means that something didn’t align with your beliefs and values. Most of the time, we know how to better handle a person or situation, but for some reason, it didn’t work out that way. We are only human, life is not going to always happen exactly the way we want it to.


I can tell you that both of the situations that I mentioned above could have been handled much better if the communication was different. We all know the value of communication and how things can very quickly fall apart without it. I have learned my lesson and hopefully, those two instances don’t ever repeat themselves in my life, but if they do, I will be much better equipped to handle them.


Think of a situation that you regret. Think of how it made you feel then and how it does now. What did you learn about yourself in this situation? What did you learn about life? Some of our darkest moments in life, although painful, can be our biggest teachers. Whenever I find myself dwelling on something from my past, I try to quickly stop that pattern of thinking and I counteract it with thoughts of what I learned and how I am a stronger and better person today because of what I went through. Life is one big test and there are teachers all around us, keep going and working towards the person that you strive to be and you will end up passing with flying colors.

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An Overview of the Seasons

The seasons come and go just like the days of our lives. For some places of the world you may only have one or a few seasons and others, like where I live, we have four. I am thankful to be able to experience all four seasons and what they have to offer. I notice that each of the seasons brings out a different part of myself and evokes many beloved memories.

The year starts during the season of winter. I used to not like the bitter cold, or the massive blizzards that winter can possibly bring, but I have come to embrace it. I enjoy snuggling under a blanket, drinking tea or hot chocolate, staying cozy indoors, baking, and watching movies. Winter is a season that helps me conserve my energy and reflect inwards. It’s definitely a season full of self-reflection for me, a reminder to sit back and enjoy a slower pace of life. There’s nothing like standing outside after a huge snowstorm and just being one with the still and silence of the world.

Spring follows with slightly warmer temperatures, a reminder that things that we see as cold and dark do have an end and eventually do see light. The insects and other creatures resurface and life starts to unfold again. Spring is an awakening of my soul. The warmer air and the budding of the flowers and trees are a reminder that even in the darkest times, life will flourish again.

The long hot days of summer really make me feel alive. The warm sun on my skin the fresh cool breeze bring me to life and give me energy. The summer is so freeing. Trips to the beach…what an amazing place for your soul. The summer months are big in helping me feel free, inspired, and motivated. It’s a little slice of Heaven to feel the sun on your skin and warmth after a long winter.

Lastly fall…one of my favorite times of the year. After the heat of summer, the cool fresh breeze is so welcomed. Fall is such a cozy and refreshing time of year for me. The leaves change color marking the passage of time and as they eventually begin to drop off we end up transitioning back into winter…and there you have it, the seasons will continue to cycle through and through.

As we make our way through each season, I am reminded of the passage of time and the beauty that life has to offer. Life won’t always be beautiful, there will be many challenges that we will face, but life is ever-changing and moves on just like the seasons. Cherish every moment and have a beautiful day!