60 seconds of regret

  

If you’re anything like me at times your mind may wander to the days of yester year, the challenges you’ve faced and the lessons you’ve learned. Perhaps you think of loves you’ve lost or family and friends that have been swept from your life by the unforgiving hands of time. At these times you may smile at fond memories but if you happen to be human there will be certain memories that bring forth a frown. You might think of those who’ve hurt you or maybe even those you’ve hurt. You may feel all manner of pain, guilt and shame.

   You may even suffer an emotional storm of biblical proportion as you mourn the innocence you once had and the hope you once harbored. Yet I submit to you that regret is not a total waste of your time. There is nothing wrong with reflecting on past errors for how else could you learn. Only there is a fine line between lamenting that you did not know then what you know now and beating yourself up. You would not know what you do now were it not for the mistakes of the past. There for I say if you must lament the past spare no more than 60 seconds of regret per mistake then cast not the lesson but the hurt into the farthest recesses of your mind. Once you’ve given a particular issue that 60 seconds you may only think on it with gratitude that you survived.

  So go ahead get it out. You're allowed to wallow a bit about that time they did you wrong. Or maybe you're admitting to yourself that you should have treated them better. Eitherway you got one minute until the future hits. Oh and I hope you haven't fooled yourself into thinking it gets easier. The bad news is that it doesn't get easier. In fact it gets harder. The more successful you get the more people count on you, be they family, employees or stock holders. The good news is that while it doesn't get easier you get stronger. Every obstacle you've conquered has only prepared for the greater challenges and therefore greater triumph in the future. Your minute is up, ready set live!