Too many people live their lives in the past. They worry about what they’ve done, what they haven’t done, what they wish they’d done… Some people work themselves into such a state, they lose sight of where they are and where they can be.

1. UPDATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS LOG – Ideally, you should be doing this everyday (listing all the things you’ve done well each day, both small and huge) as few things build lasting self-esteem faster. When this becomes a habit, any regrets about commissions lost / ideas not acted on etc. will be tempered by all the fantastic things you’re doing. Too often, people only focus on things that they’ve done wrong. Start redressing that balance today…

2. REMEMBER HENRY FORD’S WORDS – “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eye of your goal.” Regrets are just another distraction from where you’re going. And Henry’s Ford Motor Company was his third attempt at setting up a company to manufacture cars. Keep your focus on what you want. Breaking into that glossy magazine? A book deal? A column?

3. DAYDREAM A LITTLE – It doesn’t matter what’s gone wrong. Shake it off and think about your best case solution scenario. Really get into it and imagine how your happy ending (for this solution) will look, feel, sound, taste, smell and so on. When you can taste the result you’re after, you’ll be well on your way to making it a reality…

4. IDENTIFY THE CRITICAL VOICE – If you had critical parents / teachers and so on, you may have become hypercritical of yourself. Next time regretful thoughts flood your brain, see if you can tell who’s influencing them. Disassociate from them (using a cartoon voice will help – try it!) and watch their power over you evaporate…

5. TRY SAYING “NEXT TIME” - If you still fight the urge to regret, shift the focus just a little. I knew a person who used to spend her whole life apologizing. After several people pointed it out to her, she started saying “Thank you” instead of “Sorry” and we could practically see her blossom. Similarly, telling yourself that “next time” you’ll do whatever differently is much more positive than fixating on past mistakes…