I have been journaling for 20 years, and over the past few months I have had the opportunity to go back and read through many old journals.  It is a wonderful reminder of how much I have learned, how far I have come, and the amazing experiences I have enjoyed (and endured) with along the way.  

Journal from 2003

An important theme that has held true across the years was learning to enjoy every season.  The highs and lows, the busy and bored, the fun and the painful. Along the way, while I have made some good decisions and some bad ones, I try not to regret any of them, which is why I love the saying...  "sometimes we win and sometimes we learn." 

My journals have been full of learning from time spent reading books and devotionals, as well as reviewing life events and results of decisions made.  It reminded me of many people in my life through the years...some who attacked me, many who supported me and some who did both!  It also reminded me of the crisis, which while difficult in the moment, always got resolved.   The greek origin of the word is Krisis, which means to decide.  That is usually what happens during a crisis, a decision is made, an outcome occurs and then we move on.  Hopefully.  And that was a key learning for me over the years.  To move on. 

It has been said that regret doesn't exist in the present, but only possible when looking back.  Regret is an outcome. And while I would like to say I have lived with no regrets, that wouldn't be truthful. One of my regrets is when I spend too much time second guessing decisions when I look back.  When I spend too much time second guessing, I get stuck versus moving forward. So my goal is not to avoid regret or looking back, but focus on what I learned.

Regrets can be beneficial when they allow us to effectively evaluate the past.  They also allow us to take responsibility for our lives versus blaming others.  Regrets can also provide us a reminder of what is important to us, and a means to measure how well we are living our lives vs what is important to us! 

And what is important to me is to do my best each day to enjoy it and live on purpose as much as possible.  

How about you...any regrets?  Are you learning from them? Interested in better living your life on purpose?