How to Deal With Regret

Regret is a negative feeling that results from making decisions in the past that hurt others or yourself. Learning to deal with regret will help you move forward in life and leave the past behind.

Instructions

• 1

  Write down your feeling to help you better understand the origin of your regret.

• 2

  Meet with a counselor to discuss your negative feelings. Talking through issues helps you to develop a better understanding of why you feel the way you do.

• 3

  Accept that actions made in the past cannot be changed, and instead focus on what you can do in the future to give you feelings of pride and accomplishment.

• 4

  Make amends with anyone you hurt in the past. This plays a large role in overcoming regret related to past behaviors and is often used a requirement in programs for recovering drug and alcohol addicts.

• 5

  Work on building a positive life for yourself by doing things that will replace your bad memories. For example, volunteer in the community to help yourself feel as though you're helping others.

• 6

  Avoid repeating the behavior that caused your feelings of regret. If necessary, write a list of ways you can help yourself to avoid acting the same in the future.