Time is precious. It is a gift. If there is one constant in this world, it is time. There will always be 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week and 12 months in a year. As we all know, we cannot get time back. As each second and minute roll by, those are moments we will never get back. I always seem to ponder on the “what ifs” of the world, and quite frankly, it is the “what ifs” that drive me insane when I am slowly listening to my fan go round and round as I contemplate my life decisions while lying in bed at night.

What if I had never said some of things I have to people? Would my relationships with others be different?

The what-ifs are some of the most haunting questions anyone could ever ask themselves. As I continue growing as a young adult, I have begun trying to minimize the amount of what-ifs in my life. There will always be an amount of uncertainty, but I have grown weary of always questioning the past. All of my decisions have shaped me into the person I am today, but looking back at particular moments in my life has caused something we all try to limit—regret.

In a different sense, I have come to find the good in regret. Regret is very motivating! It motivates us to make better decisions and think before acting on a situation. Our past experiences mold who we are. An individual that grows up homeless and hungry will take less for granted compared to someone who has never had to worry about putting food on the table or unsure of where they would sleep at night. Regret is an extremely powerful thing that many of us overlook. We overanalyze situations and instead of using it as a guide or instruction, we mope around and think to ourselves, “if only I could have had that moment back.”

There are many seconds and minutes I would love to have back. Whether it be in a relationship, on the ball field or in my everyday activities, regret has found a way to sneak in to my life. I try to make amends and reconstruct my wrong-doings, but in the end, there is nothing I can do other than accept my faults and learn from my decisions.

However, I believe regret is inevitable. We will always question our decisions; even if we believe to have made a good one. Using the informational aspect of regret is the only thing we can depend on in later decisions. We must find comfort in our decisions and hope in our future. Progressing as an individual mentally, emotionally, and spiritually will only come while adventuring on new endeavors. Regret is a personal reflection, and reflection is something we must have.