Life is filled with what ifs: they’re not quite regrets, more like hypothetical scenarios that play out in our minds, never actually reaching a conclusion and thereby causing our anxiety levels to go through the roof…so arguably worse than regrets! Each and every one of us could waste entire days on end contemplating the what ifs and how our lives would’ve panned out if we’d opted for a different route to the one that we ended up going with.
What if I’d taken that job? What if things had worked out between us? What if I’d just kept my mouth shut? What if I’d never found out? What if I’d gone against the grain? What if I’d just stuck it out? Of course your life would be a hell of a lot different right now. Maybe things would’ve been better for you, maybe you would’ve even been happier or maybe you would’ve been absolutely miserable, maybe you would’ve regretted your decision later on any way; maybe, maybe, maybe! It’s human nature to assume that the grass is always greener on the other side, but maybe, just maybe it’s not. Maybe things have actually worked out in your favour but you just can’t see it yet…
Ok enough with the maybes! It’s absolutely fine to play out the what if scenarios in your head every now and then but remember that curiosity killed the cat! Once your five minutes of daydreaming are up it’s time to snap back to reality. Sometimes things happen for a reason, so rather than over analysing the past and working yourself up into a frenzy, focus your attention on the present: watch The Lion King!
No really, I’m being deadly serious. It may seem like a run-of-the-mill Disney film on the surface but it’s filled with golden nuggets of wisdom when it comes to conquering the what ifs. For example, when Rafiki is educating Simba on moving forward in life and not dwelling on the past he tells him, ‘it doesn’t matter, it’s in the past’ before banging him on the head with a giant stick. The lovable meerkat that is Timon also imparts some words of wisdom when he rightfully says ‘you gotta put your past behind you…bad things happen and you can’t do anything about it’, see it truly is one of the best and most relevant movies of all time :).
To put it simply there’s no crime against reflecting on your past but try to learn from it too, don’t let it haunt you or consume you. And don’t make the rookie mistake of looking back with your rose-tinted specs on either, try to remember circumstances for what they truly were at the time, flaws and all. And if possible programme your brain to think ‘oh well’ rather than ‘what if’.
What’s done is done my friend. And truth be told unless you know someone who’s on the brink of inventing a time machine, you’ll never have a definitive answer for any of your what ifs any way, so put them in a figurative box, lock it up and stick it under your figurative bed because they’re out of your control. Live for now instead, hakuna matata 🙂
Just A Small Town Girl... 
Perfect timing. Needed this reminder today 🙂 thank you!
Glad to have been of help Laura 🙂
nice post 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Amen to that. I really needed to read this today, and it is so true! Making a choice is closing a door to open another. There is a beauty in that.
Very true, look on the bright side!
Use your past to improve the now and future. Nothing is a waste. Looking forward means making progress, bettering one self and eventually being able to develop others.
You’re right, moving forward is key…thanks for stopping by 🙂
Excellent post! It’s important to live in the moment, not looking back because you can’t change what’s behind you. 🙂 Thanks for posting.
Thanks Helen, I’m glad you enjoyed it 😀
The “what-if” is such a mental plague – one really has to make an effort to say, no, there is a reason why I didn’t go down that path. 🙂
It’s the worst kind of mental plague! Just try to think oh well, rather than what if and you’ll conquer it 🙂
This was wonderful !!
Thanks Samjoth 😀
It was my pleasure 🙂
Stay bright 😀
Reblogged this on one chubby blob.
Thanks for the re-blog 😀
Anytime C:
nice post. I like what Kelly said … I tend to lean on that reasoning and say , things always happen for a reason. Tends to encourage contentment rather than regret.
Very true, sometimes things really do happen for a reason but it just takes time to be able to see that.
The decisions you take with confused mind later cause such thoughts to pop up in your mind. Fortunately, I don’t get such thoughts in my head. 😉
Lol you’re a lucky guy then Pratik, thanks for your comment!
I share your sentiments exactly! Well written and thanks for much for the follow
Glad to meet someone like-minded, thanks for your comment 🙂
Very true! Easy to forget this in the daily routine of life. Thanks for sharing, great post 🙂
Thanks Becka 😀
I believe everything happens for a reason but I totally do the what if thing daily. Nice post!
Best to break the habit and concentrate on your present, what ifs are more hassle than they’re worth! Thanks for stopping by Julia 🙂
Well said! 🙂
Thanks Kabir 😀
You’re welcome 🙂
Nice post! There’s a French saying that when literally translated, goes like that: with “what ifs” you could put Paris in a bottle. One of my favourite sayings!
Nice, I like that! Thanks for stopping by Sandra 🙂