Bringing Balance to Life: Regret Less

I'm a big worrier. I don't worry much about the future. I worry about the past. I'm a regreter, a negative ruminator---if only I had done this; I should have done that; why didn't I; that was a big mistake. Talk about wasting time---regret is one of the biggest time wasters there is. It also decreases our joy, and leads to doubt, despair, depression.

There are several things we can do about regret:

• Be present in the present
• Where ever you are, be there
• Ignore the futile, plan for the future
• Forget the bad by expecting the good
• Turn worries into prayers
• To regret less, pray more
• Serve, don't stew
• Don't regret, reconcile
• Count blessings, not messes
• Replace self centered thinking with other centered thinking
• Enjoy the natural beauty that blesses our lives
• Work, exercise, stay busy
• Wear a rubber band around the wrist; when negative ruminations appear, stretch the band, and pop the wrist. Do that enough and a hematoma will develop or regret will go away.

I've found the biggest help from repeating scripture:

• Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
• Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever  is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things. Philippians 4:8
• Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have. Hebrews 13:5
• And we pray this so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:10-12
• Let us put our hope in God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Be rich in good deeds, and be generous and willing to share. Timothy 6:17-18

And finally, here's a good song for regretters to sing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLtXdhUXfqU