We spend so much time looking at our mistakes and regrets as terrible failures. What would happen if we took the time to switch our perspective on life? In this world, nothing is a waste of time. Experiences that are painful to deal with are merely lessons for you to take and grow from. You either learn the lesson and choose a better path/option when a similar situation comes up, or you can keep repeating the same mistakes until you learn from them and had enough of the situation.
The only reason that we have the tendency to repeat our mistakes is because the other path is uncomfortable. Why is it so? It’s because change is actually uncomfortable, since your mind and body aren’t used to this new direction. Many times, you head back into the direction that isn’t alien to you, and you realize (hopefully you do) how unhappy you are. Oops, three months later (maybe even a year), your world tumbles after you make that realization.
Please congratulate yourself on coming to a realization, because so many people look for excuses to stay in the same comfortably, unhappy situation.
Examples of some excuses are:
I’ll stress my loved ones if I make this decision.
I’ll never be able to find a better situation than this.
Maybe, this is what I deserve.
Oh, this happened in the past, it might repeat itself again.
Who am I to be happy?
Well, isn’t it a bit strange that we fear being in joy?
Once you’ve had a wakeup call about your state, it’s up to you to change your path. This is why we have freewill. Nothing is going to change or improve until we exert our freewill and make the decision to be happy. After all, happiness is a choice.