Many times people wish they could go back in time and change an event. Whether it be to change what they said or someones actions, they regret it. They would do anything to go back in time and it can swallow their minds; it's all they think about.

Sorry to be blunt, but there is nothing they can do to change it. This is a very difficult concept to accept. Regret is a very challenging thing to overcome and it can impact people's lives in a very negative way. However, there are alternate ways to thinking about regret; in a positive light.

Instead of calling mistakes regrets, think of them as lessons learned. If I know I can't go into the past, why would I dwell over something I can't change or have any control over? I might as well spend my time reflecting not regretting and learning. The only way that I can do this, is by being open minded about the whole experience. There are many components to the whole 'reflecting' process that may be hard to obtain. That is why it is a slow growth. It took a while for me to finally realize that I have to accept my mistakes and move on. Making mistakes is all apart of life. It's how we evolve.

In addition, let's say you really don't enjoy the college you are attending, wishing you could go back to the day when you chose to go there and choose differently. Now, obviously you can't go back. But in this instance you have to remember that in the moment you chose to go to said school, you thought that was the best decision. You shouldn't blame yourself for not knowing the future. You need to trust yourself, and if you didn't make the right decision; keep moving forward.

When I was a small freshman, I applied to an art school in Chicago for dance. I was accepted into the school. However, for many reasons I requested to revoke my admission to the school. After I notified them, I was very sad and upset by the whole thing. Why did I go through all of this and not even go to the school? As time went on, I was accepting my decision and I was happy where I was. When I finished high school, I reflected on my experience and I was so proud and energized by my progress and accomplishments. When I thought about if I had of gone to the art school, I realized that I wouldn't be who I am now. I'm happy with who I am now. I do not regret my experience applying because I learned so much from the process and dealing with my choices afterward.

You have plans for people and sometimes they don't work out or something else completely messes with your plan. You shouldn't say you wish you did something differently because sometimes things are out of your control. When this happens, there is no room for regret or trying to change, only hoping that everything happens for a reason.

Now this may sound like it's coming from an unexperienced young adult, but I have dealt with all of these things before. I have tried to see my regrets as something beautiful, something that I can learn from, not something that has to ruin my life. It is hard but I keep growing. I hope you can take something out of this and reflect on yourself, because everybody makes mistakes; everybody has those days, everybody knows what I'm talking about, everybody gets that way.