I often here people talk about their regrets. Pondering the “what ifs” as they look back in their rear view mirror of life. There was a time where I would swim in my pool of regrets. Beating myself up over decisions or situations that may or may not have been beneficial, only to linger long enough to question my decision making ability. But truly, a regret is simply a missed opportunity that taught us something. If we were aware enough to be open to learn a lesson, then how in the world can that be regrettable?
Today, I have a “no regret” policy. I live my life in the acknowledgement that every situation is presented to me with an opening. I can choose to immerse myself or forgo only with the knowledge that even if I made a decision that might not fit me, at least I had the courage to make a choice. The word regret sounds so harsh that I love the concept of being in transition. The process of moving through life and its various stages. Transition sounds gentle, plus it means that we are moving toward something…..whether it is an opportunity or a struggle. Those shifts are meant to challenge us. These transitions aren’t always easy. Sometimes it requires us to leave relationships, careers, locations, etc., but it never fails to lead us to something even more gratifying.
I have been in a state of transition for years. It is the process where I am changing, learning, and growing which allows me the ability to move forward in life without residing in the past. Instead, I fondly look in my rear view mirror and have tremendous gratitude for the opportunities that allowed me to gain insight about myself and others. It isn’t easy, but it frees me from being a hostage of my own circumstances. My responsibility is to myself and not other people’s limited definitions of how I should live my life.
Square Peg, Round Hole 