It just walks in uninvited, unexpected, and heavy.
A memory.
A missed opportunity.
A quiet moment when you realize, This isn’t the life I thought I’d be living.
A missed opportunity.
A quiet moment when you realize, This isn’t the life I thought I’d be living.
In my work as a life and business coach, I’ve seen regret show up in people at every age and stage:
- Young professionals questioning their first big decisions
- Midlife parents wondering what’s next after the kids are grown
- Seasoned professionals realizing they’ve climbed the wrong ladder
Brené Brown says it best:
"Regret is one of our most powerful emotional reminders that reflection, change, and growth are necessary."
"Regret is one of our most powerful emotional reminders that reflection, change, and growth are necessary."
But let’s be honest regret doesn’t just sting.
It can paralyze.
It can paralyze.
It can trap us in shame and try and convince us that it’s too late to change course. I’ve seen people stay in jobs, relationships, and versions of themselves they’ve long outgrown because regret froze them at the scene of the decision.
Sometimes the hardest regrets aren’t what we did, but what we didn’t do.
The job we didn’t pursue.
The truth we didn’t speak.
The dream we quietly set aside.
The truth we didn’t speak.
The dream we quietly set aside.
Still, I believe regret carries a hidden invitation: reinvention.
To those weighed down by the what-ifs:
Here’s what I want you to know.
Here’s what I want you to know.
Regret, when met with honesty and curiosity, can shift from burden to compass. It can point out where you were out of alignment, help you name what you truly value, and remind you t’s never too late to choose differently.
I’ve seen it happen and experienced it myself. I’ve walked with clients through that fog. and seen the moment someone stops replaying the past and starts rewriting the future.
So, why is it so hard to move forward?
Because your brain isn’t wired for growth it’s wired for safety.
It wants certainty, not change. Comfort, not challenge.
It wants certainty, not change. Comfort, not challenge.
As psychologist Susan David puts it:
"Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life."
"Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life."
And she’s right though luckily, it’s not quite as steep as a ticket to see Beyonce or Taylor Swift in concert.
Still, like a true Swiftie pays for the magic of the moment, those who want a meaningful life must be willing to sit with discomfort.
Because growth?
It doesn’t come from playing it safe.
It comes from facing the truths we’ve been avoiding, the choices we’ve been postponing, the emotions we’ve tried to outrun.
It doesn’t come from playing it safe.
It comes from facing the truths we’ve been avoiding, the choices we’ve been postponing, the emotions we’ve tried to outrun.
Here’s your takeaway:
If regret is knocking, don’t slam the door.
Ask it:
- What values did I compromise?
- What desire did I ignore?
- What fear held me back?
Then shift from story to action.
One small step. One brave decision.
One new boundary. One honest conversation.
One small step. One brave decision.
One new boundary. One honest conversation.
That’s where traction begins.
Reinvention doesn’t always look like a dramatic overhaul.
Sometimes, it starts quietly with a shift in priorities, a reclaimed boundary, or the courage to say:
"I want something different."
Sometimes, it starts quietly with a shift in priorities, a reclaimed boundary, or the courage to say:
"I want something different."
Regret may be a tough teacher. But it’s also a powerful one.
Let it guide you forward not drag you back.
Let it guide you forward not drag you back.
Ready to stop circling the “what-ifs”?
If this hit home and you’re curious what change could look like with support, let’s talk.
Book a free 30-minute discovery call
You don’t have to do this alone and you don’t have to stay stuck.
Book a free 30-minute discovery call
You don’t have to do this alone and you don’t have to stay stuck.
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