This week, bloggers are discussing “Missed Opportunities.” Blogger Elizabeth moves beyond personal missed opportunity to how we can all move past regrets in life and embrace the positive.

By Elizabeth Shay

There are times in our lives when we look back to the past at missed opportunities. The predominant emotion that we feel when reflecting on missed opportunities is regret. It can be hard to recover and thrive after a missed opportunity, but sometimes they can be a blessing in disguise. Here are three tips to help you live your best life without regrets and grow from your experiences:

Acknowledge that regret is normal…

All emotions have a function for survival, including regret. Our brain uses regret to tell us to take another look at our choices. Regret stems from counterfactual thinking, or the human tendency to create possible alternatives to life events that have already occurred (Wikipedia), and the easier it is to envision different outcomes, the more likely we are to regret life opportunities (Psychology Today). 

Identify the positives…

Sometimes things happen for a reason. Your missed opportunities could be a blessing in disguise, as cliched as that sounds. Instead of dwelling on what you may have missed out on, reframe your thinking into the positive. Brainstorm and consider things in your current life that you are grateful for that may not be a part of your life had you taken a different path. This will allow you to move forward (Inc).

Look to the future…

Rather than remaining bogged down with the weight of the past, search for the next opportunity awaiting you in the future. Recognize what is important to you and what your goals are, and now that you have experience and a clear vision, you will be able to capitalize on opportunities as they come. At the same time, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because you never know where those spontaneous decisions could lead. The road on the journey of life is not always clear; there is no map to reach our final destination. So why not experience all that you can along the way?

Sources Referenced:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201205/the-psychology-regret

https://www.inc.com/young-entrepreneur-council/change-your-mindset-stop-dwelling-on-past-mistakes-with-these-7-tips.html

View at Medium.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterfactual_thinking#:~:text=Counterfactual%20thinking%20is%20a%20concept,%22counter%20to%20the%20facts%22.

Missed Opportunity Editor: Erik Bearman