What if there were no mistakes?

What would your life look like if you truly believed this?

What if there was no regret or guilt because you knew that everything works for your good even when you don't see it?

What if you believed that everything happens for a reason?

What if everything that happens to you also happens for you?

What if every obstacle is a stepping stone and every situation is an opportunity for learning and growth?

Do you think that would reduce your stress, worry and anxiety?

Regret is a huge burden on the soul and can cause long term effects. It can have damaging effects on mind and body when it turns into fruitless rumination and self-blame that keeps you from re-engaging with life. This pattern of repetitive, negative, self-focused ruminative thinking is characteristic of depression. Other research, reported in an AARP Newsletter, shows regret can result in chronic stress, negatively affecting hormonal and immune system functioning. Regret impedes the ability to recover from stressful life events by extending their emotional reach for months, years, or lifetimes.

How can you start to overcome this? Try to make a conscious effort daily to see things from a different perspective.

Here's how you can get started:

1. Sit in a quiet, comfortable place.

2. Take a few calming, relaxing deep breaths.

3. Write down everything that's weighing heavily on you (including hurts and regrets that you've been carrying for months or even years)

4. Write down your emotions about this towards yourself and others

5. Forgive yourself (we all make mistakes, we're human)

6. Next, write down how you can look at that in a positive way. What can you learn from it? What actions do you need to take to help you overcome those feelings (for eg., do you need to reach out to someone)? How can you reframe the situation and have a different belief about it, as mentioned above?

7. Cross out the negative thoughts and emotions with red pen and replace them with the positive thought.

8. Read this every day for at least a week and really soak in the postive truths you wrote in red pen.

You can do this! Your emotional freedom is worth it.

“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.” ― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

If you need some assistance and would like to go deeper in this area, feel free to reach out to me at info@sharissasebastian.com. I'd love to hear from you.

Have a wonderful, guilt-free and regret-free Wednesday!

-Sharissa

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