Yes, you've made mistakes. Yes, you have regrets. Yes, there are past decisions that you wish you could change. But what good does brooding over the past do? If you're not careful, you could sink into a deep depression that will be very difficult to claw out of. There's a reason the windshield is bigger than the rear view: Because what lies ahead is much better than where you've been! Turn those missteps into lessons. Leverage those blunders into life-changing growth.  Think of it this way: If we never fell, how would we ever learn to pick ourselves up again? Seize the opportunity to become stronger and wiser . So maybe you wish you had never met your cheating ex or chosen law as your profession. A broken heart or load of debt later, you might kick yourself for not having seen all the signs. But don't spend all your time lamenting your mistakes. Embrace them, and allow them to transform you.  You will find a good partner who remains loyal to you. Y...

There are no regrets in life -- only lessons learned. Regretting that which is now in the past -- and thus cannot be changed -- serves absolutely no purpose but to make us feel dejected. Learn from your mistakes so that you're not doomed to repeat them. In that way, you're actually channeling all that negativity into something positive and constructive. Regrets, then, can help facilitate growth so long as we have the right mindset. Let's suppose you cheated on a wonderful man or woman -- a terrible mistake you refuse to forgive yourself for. If you already apologized to your ex and have pledged to remain faithful to future partners, what more can you really do? Move on, and if you've learned anything from your misstep, you'll know not to jeopardize a relationship ever again. The same reasoning applies to missed job opportunities, friendships gone awry, or any other situations that would have turned out much more favorably had you behaved differently. ...

Let go of the past. Let go of your regrets. Take stock of your life and focus on the here and now. The past is the past. The future shines ever so bright! You shouldn't regret your mistakes so long as you learned from them. Sometimes, our biggest failures end up being precisely what we need to grow as individuals. Don't let them impede your progress. Don't allow them to obstruct your path toward bigger and better things. Life goes on. Keep your head up. Stay positive. As hard as it may seem right now, things will get better. And just because you had a bad experience -- whether a relationship that went sour or a short-lived job that didn't fit your skills or temperament -- doesn't mean history is bound to repeat itself. Things can get better. Things will get better. Such experiences sharpen our judgment. The most painful experiences, in fact, supply us with the most strength and fortitude. Shed your mind of negative thoughts -- ones that do nothing ...

Can you guess the one thing no one can take from you? If you said learning , knowledge , or education , you've hit the nail on the head. People can break into your house and steal your jewelry. They can snoop through your drawers at work and snag the million dollar idea you wrote on a post-it note. But no one can magically teleport into your brain and pilfer your knowledge. What's in the mind stays in the mind. That's why we should all aim to nourish our minds with as much information as we possibly can. The more we learn, the more we enrich ourselves. Human beings have a tendency to want to conserve their mental resources wherever possible. But thinking critically keeps the brain sharp, whether we're playing Scrabble or dreaming up ways to get a new business off the ground. Leonardo da Vinci once said, "Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets." Fortunately, you're never too young or too old to lea...

Is thinking too much a bad thing? Not when it concerns studying for a big exam, working on an intellectually grueling project at work, or playing brain games like Scrabble and Jeopardy. But it can serve as a hindrance when it comes to making decisions.  Carefully thinking through your choices is one thing. Spending so much time mulling things over as to not make any kind of decision is another. Overthinking breeds inaction. You can't put off decisions that involve your personal and professional forever.  Any action is better than inaction. And choosing not to act isn't a decision.  I'll be the first to admit that making a life-altering decision is anything but simple.  Switching jobs, getting married to someone we've only known for weeks, moving to another city -- these are all leaps of faith, and we really don't know whether such decisions will pan out.  Because of the risk involved, it's no surprise people balk. They think, th...

Forget about the past. Yes, you've made mistakes.  Yes, you've said and done things you wish you could take back. But that's water under the bridge now. You've learned from those experiences and are now wiser because of them. The only way to go is forward. Life is too short to spend it wondering what if you had done this, or what if you had done that. The bottom line is, you chose a path, and that path has led you to where you are at present. Having regrets serves no purpose other than to demoralize you. Don't let that happen! Take stock of your life and consider all the fantastic things you can do now and in the future. Taking memorable vacations with the family. Finally getting that degree you've been putting off. Learning a new language. There is so much for you to do. The future remains bright so long as you envision it that way. Don't let your past problems thwart you from realizing your life goals and dreams. When life tries to tempt you into...