Regret is a tool of growth

Word count: 298

Regrets are feelings of sadness, repentance, and even
disappointment over something one has done or failed to do. It is
my opinion that regrets are something that influences growth in
various ways.
Firstly, having regrets can help remind us to think twice
before making an important decision in order to not make the same
mistakes all over again. In my case, my biggest regret is not
leaving a 5-year-old friendship with a very toxic person faster
and therefore losing precious years of my life that could’ve been
spent without self-doubts, trust issues, and many more. What I do
not regret is that now I know how to recognize the signs earlier
and how to distance myself from toxic environments. What I also
don’t regret are the small number of nice memories I made with
this person and the lessons that I learned throughout the
friendship and after leaving it.
Secondly, regrets are how we learn about ourselves and what
we want in different aspects of our life, consequently receiving
clarity about the outcomes we truly want for us. For instance, if
one regrets not following a certain path in education or career
when the opportunity comes to make a decision, they can choose
better now that they know what they desire. This feeling can make
one understand that mistakes are a part of life, that we as
humans are fallible, and that we cannot change the past, but we
can affect the future and shape it to our liking.
In conclusion, rues are a natural part of living, affecting
our mental growth in the best way possible, helping us understand
ourselves and the world we live in, but our regrets can also
impact the people around us since they can learn from our
mistakes and us from theirs.