Breaking up can be a torrid ordeal. It brings with it an emotional rollercoaster, irrespective of whether you were the one who decided to end it all or not. One would be in disarray, as he may be feeling both sides of the extremes, that the person could have been the one that got away and also, that the same person should have been left much earlier. This cocktail of emotions can definitely impact one’s well-being affecting him or her, both personally and also professionally.
Most of us will have some regrets in life. Some of these are likely to revolve around relationships. Research indicates that three-quarters of single people, aged over fifty have dating regrets.
So how do you handle such regret?
Exhaust all options to see if the situation can be resolved
Knowing that you did everything within your power to resolve the situation will ensure lesser regrets, should things not work out. Having given all possible options a shot, you are less likely to feel regrets that had you done something different, things would have worked out.
Don’t overestimate the past
Having nostalgia for moments which you passed through with another person is only normal. Mourning what is true is natural. It gets dangerous however, when you start regretting what might have been. When you are isolated and alone, it is quite easy to fall in the trap of thinking that your ex was the only chance at love. This can especially be the case if you have had a few bad dates and the thoughts of your ex come back to haunt you.
Moving on
Regret tends to feel worse when we get older due to the fear that time is running out. In such situations, one would need to accept that nothing can be done to change the past. Might as well work to ensure that the future is more positive. One would need to work to transform regret into optimism for the future, by taking appropriate actions to improve the situation. One way to do this is to avoid looking up your exes on social media. You may also wish to avoid remaining friends with your ex. Friendships will only work if you have truly accepted that it is over and not secretly hoping to get back together.
You owe it to yourself to work for a better tomorrow. Don’t get stuck in the past and remember that opportunities may be found in places where you least expect them.
