When I decided to start writing about an emotion a month I thought I might share some of how I’d experienced these emotions. I still plan to do that. But I’ve realized  at the moment, when I consider my regrets I start looking around for things that resonate with me. One thing I’ve noticed (not really unusually) are quotes that I see that are about regret or moving past it. In studying regret I’ve listened to TED, podcasts, psychology websites and looking back through books to find any notes I’ve made that are regret related. And most importantly I’ve Pinterested all regret related things I come across on Pinterest. Click the icon above and you will see my Regret related Pin Board.

Regret can make you believe that, because you are feeling that regretful feeling, something wrong has taken place. Possibly you believe a mistake has been made, an opportunity lost, a relationship thrown away, a job opportunity missed or time wasted. I believe regret is a guide not an indictment.

Regret isn’t reality storming into your emotional world and telling you that what you did or didn’t do, was wrong, bad, poorly done or any other judgment. Regret is marker,  a feeling or idea, it marks the passing of something. It lets you know there has been a loss. Not all loss is bad. It lets you know there is a transition or a change. A lot of this is the good stuff.

Just because you feel regret doesn’t mean you are or were wrong. I think it means that life is more complicated than a series of making choices or not making choices. At times we are asked to choose between options, of which, not one is the best option or our desired option. We just choose the only option we have access to–by access I mean physical, emotional, financial, spiritual–at that moment in time. Then we mark our decision and move forward, not staying stuck with the feeling of regret so we can choose again.

So back to the trouble with Regret. I really think it lays in all the RE-ing that happens. The RE is what keeps coming up. The REthink, the REdo, the REwind, the REmember (obsessively) and REmorse .

So the RE that might not get you into so much trouble? REality & REalize. Here are some thoughts, one of them, by my favorite author, Unknown.<chuckle>

As I pack my bags, see picture of me packing my bags, to your left (need I remind you that I got a phone with a camera that works?!). I am packing to go be all New Years-y down south, where booty shakin and hip hop lives and I have been listening to TED talks.

If you need some confirmation from the universe that regret is waaaay reasonable then you have to listen to this. There is some imagery in this talk that felt like synchronicity slapped my ass. The title of the talk actually inspired my last post after not writing for a while.

To my list of things I want to do in life I would like to add, have done or thought something so cool I get to give a TED talk. This joins the list of wanting to get a Genius Grant (because if someone calls you a genius you win at life) and being interviewed on Book TV for CSpan.

Things I have crossed of my list: Kiss a famous/hot surfer in his little outfit. French kiss a Frenchman. I mean there are more things I have accomplished from my to do list, but I can feel you judging me, so we will leave it here.I mean I am like two steps away from a MacArthur Genius Grant already. Except one more thing ladies & gents, do kiss a Frenchman and make jokes about French kissing, they (the French) think it is hilarious. Seriously I promise they do, would I lie to you?