Healthy Dealings with Regrets

Regrets, we all have them, get them, or regret getting them. Often, we use “should of”, “would of”, or “could of”: I “should of” bought Apple stock at 19 and kept it, and then everything would be great. The truth is, if we had bought the stock, we might have tied that money up for something critically necessary and may have needed it elsewhere. Looking back can be both insightful and yet painful, if we collect the pain of the opportunities that we feel that we let slip by. Some memories are wonderful treasures to hold on to, while others like lost opportunities need to be let go.

Right place, right time

Sometimes we are in the right place at the right time — sometimes we are not. There is no telling of the hits and misses of our lives from the random joys that pop up to the inexplicable losses that we may experience. We can drive ourselves crazy if we hold on to all the roads we did or didn’t take in our lives!

Parkinson's feeds on regrets

Parkinson’s disease feeds on regrets! Showing kindness and understanding for ourselves and for those who care about us may ease the burden of regret. Beating ourselves up over our past or regrets that we probably should never have held on to will not serve us well. What could be or could have been is a slippery route and probably one to avoid. That said, we do and should learn from our past. We aren’t going to pick all the hot stocks, buy or sell our dream home, and win the lottery, every time. Our path is our path. Changing our path is within our power with the will to make changes in our lives.

Regretting the passing up of opportunity is universal and not just unique to people with Parkinson’s disease. One key is to find acceptance and forgiveness within ourselves. Longing for a long-gone train will not bring it back, but often another train arrives farther down the track. If we miss it, the train may have not been meant for us at all.

Making peace with our regrets

We must admit our mistakes, try to make peace with all those who we may have wronged, ask for forgiveness, give ourselves a break, and offer love and compassion! Our feelings of regret will fade as we seek a personal peace, stay in the present, and continue to improve ourselves.