Learning from the Coulda — Woulda — Shoulda’s of Your Past

Let that Sh*t go

I have them, you totally have them too.

The things that you could have done, said, not said.

The things that you would have done, said, not said.

The things that you should have done, said, not said.

The places you didn’t go, the people you didn’t go after; gosh, the people you didn’t say goodbye to! Good lord (say that in the voice of Shaboozey who sings “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”.

I bet there are a bunch of things that have already sprung to mind for you with just those vague ideas above.

The list might be endless and growing monthly, daily maybe. They are like ghosts come to haunt you in your bed while you lay awake at night or in the line for coffee, the commute to work.

They pounce or sneak in through a side door when you’re thinking about something else or nothing at all.

It would be nice and simple of me to say we can escape them completely, our past choices that is.

That would be “nice” and sound hopeful. What I can say is that we can learn lessons from them if we so choose.

We CAN let much of it go in reality and take something from the rest. Your past is just that, it’s gone with the last sunset and rise. It can’t usually be changed aside from some very rare occasions and magic in books that aren’t real.

I implore you; take your shoulda and your woulda and your coulda and learn from them in your present.

Remember the choices you want to make in the future. Remember the things that you don’t want to miss out on, the time with people you love that is worth so so much.

Remember to book the trip and see what you want to see, ask the person what you want to know, quit the job you can and ask for the raise you deserve, bring the proof too because this is one of those things we are learning from our past. Bring the damn proof of your worth when you need it.

Whatever it is, enjoy this current moment and don’t just forget the choices you wish you hadn’t made or that you had… learn from them and do yourself better now.