Let’s face it, burnout sucks but there are some silver linings. The time I took recovering from my burnout gave me a chance to see things from a different perspective. It gave me a chance to separate my regret, guilt, and what I thought as shortcomings from my actions. In essence, I was separating my emotions from my actions so I could define them clearly. I needed to identify my motivators and my drivers. But first I had to face some things that I was harboring.
I regretted not completing college. I regretted not pushing myself to go after my dreams earlier in life. Because of that, I was left with lots of passions unfulfilled. That left a certain amount of inner chaos inside of me. I was harboring a sense of dissatisfaction. In response to those feelings, I set out to accomplish a crazy amount of goals in an unrealistic time span.
You can’t change the past.
No matter how much work I do now, I cannot change the past. I can however move forward. But I couldn’t truly do that until I learned how to practice gratitude. I have accomplished many things in my life. I have many great stories to tell. But I was so blinded by the regret I was holding on to that I was missing my opportunities for celebration.
To be your best, you have to take the best care of yourself.
Laura Romberger-Tran, The Lotus Life
Since I’ve been practicing gratitude, I’ve been able to see regret as a tool and less as a nemesis. I use it as a motivator, and as a teacher.
Lessons I Learned about Self-care from Regret:
- Practice gratitude – Be grateful for all that you have accomplished so far and all the wonderful things you have in your life. Write down what you are grateful for daily. Constantly remind yourself of your blessings.
- Take time to rest – You have to give yourself the opportunity to recharge. You will be so much more productive and have sharper thoughts when you do.
- Celebrate – Reward yourself for your accomplishments. Growing your sense of pride in your work will strengthen your confidence. This is a motivator to keep moving forward.
- Take your time – Don’t rush your projects. Let them grow. Give yourself the space to thoroughly develop them and enjoy the process along the way.
- Don’t isolate – Regret can cause us to want to withdraw. Don’t. If you are feeling overwhelmed with regret, reach out to a loved one. Talk it out.
Regret can be either demise or an opportunity to learn great lessons. How will you choose to use it?