How do you move on from your biggest mistakes?

[Dsanders 5,748]

When you make an irreversible mistake (varying in accordance to your religion, creed, or upbringing), how do you move on? How do you get rid of the guilt and regret?

[Simcity11100 772]

Some how I seem to just let it go without consequences, it seems to be a thing for me.

[Untitled Goose Q 5,137]

Recognise your mistake, learn from it, and don't dwell on it.

[Moonlight 7,288]

If it is truly irreversible, then you just have to move on. If you dwell on things that happened in the past that you can't change then you won't open yourself up to new opportunities, no reason to give yourself pointless heartache if you can't change what has been done. And from my experience this year, you won't get rid of the guilt/regret, at least not quickly, time may not heal all wounds, but it will stitch that wound back up until it can fix itself.

Edited December 23, 2014 by WheatleyCore

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

Ctrl + Z usually works. If not, then I have a panic attack and die.

[FancyHorse 1,209]

I wish I had a better answer, but I guess its just a natural to just let things go. Holding onto burdening mistakes isn't very healthy.

 

The best way to look upon is that you'll learn from the mistakes to improve behavior and decisions.

 

Stay safe friend <3

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

If it was a really bad mistake it may be you should feel guilty and ashamed of it. For many, however, they can't get past that and it cripples them from doing what's right.

 

So learn to eat your shame.

 

Comprehend the consequences of your actions and how it affects others. Change in yourself what needs to change and learn from your mistake. Don't repeat it again.

 

Don't dwell on it either. What we do defines us, but obsessing over what you did in the past only invites impotence that limits who you can become in the future.

[EquestriaGuy 1,074]

I can't have the past 15 years back, so I can never fix my biggest mistake. How do I move on from it? I have no idea yet.

[Drakkon 362]

You have to remember that we are human and we make mistakes. You have to find what is the actual source of your guilt, where it really lies, if you want to be rid of it. If your guilt comes from the feeling that only you are so-and-so enough to make that mistake. If so, you must realize that you're wrong; we always make mistakes, and you should focus on making sure you don't repeat it, not dwell on how it came to be at hand. Dwell on it if you think there's something you may have missed that you could learn from... but do not dwell for long. Focus on the future, not the past.

 

If you are ashamed, then you may wish to confront that mistake. Take heart from the fact that feeling shame is a good sign most of the time; it shows you truly understand what you did was wrong, so don't feel like you have to punish yourself or that you're undeserving. The people who are undeserving are those who make a terrible mistake and feel no shame.

 

If it's related to a person, you may wish to confront them too. The best way for me to free up guilt and worries is talking with the person they affect, no matter why, even if the person hates my guts because of it. If I'm humble, they find it in their heart to forgive me, which is a real ease on my conscious. It might be exactly the thing you're looking for, the prequesite to finally moving on from that mistake. Otherwise, I just talk about it with family, that helps a lot as well. Just talking about it is great.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Inactive User

[catnet 9,358]

I don't really dwell on them for too long myself. To move on, I guess paying close attention to your feelings of regret and guilt at the time would help confirm to yourself that whatever path you took to get to that point, you really don't want to come near it again. If your mistake has affected anyone else (or if you consider it a sin against your god), then try to make amends as early as is reasonable. At that point, if you've done all that and whether or not people have forgiven you or not, just let go of the guilt and negativity. The point of these feelings is to encourage you to see what your wrongdoing was and to take responsibility for it- if you still have them when you've done this, then they're offering nothing that could be of benefit to anyone, let alone you. It's like having someone pestering you to pay your taxes when you've already given them in last week. You shouldn't have to pay when your past self has already done so

[Foxx 258]

Well, my process goes a little something like this. For the first few days after the previous events, whatever happened will constantly be on my mind, at every turn. Slowly but surely,it will start to fade, the memory only appearing at appropriate and relevant times. Finally, I will completely let it go(here comes the frozen storm, oh god). I won't forget it completely, granted, but it doesn't make itself nearly as prominent at all after the last stage.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Foxx

[Gone Airbourne 21,977]

Time, patience, and learning to let go/forgiving yourself. But those things in themselves are hard to do anyway. Learning to let go of your past mistakes is not easy but once you are able to do so. Move on take those mistakes and let them shape you into a better person. 

 

I try to always say even if you make the same mistake over and over if you at least find a point and acknowledge that mistake. Try your best to turn away and do the best you know how and move on. Its not easy to let go of the past but learning to let go of certain things and if you can use those past experiences to better who you are as a person. The better off you will be in my eyes.

[Neutral 1,185]

Learn what your mistake was. Get your sht together and move on with your life.

[Christmasy Britty 2,553]

it depends on the situation I just kinda move on from bad things and try to ignore how I feel and let things either settle and then fix them or just leave them alone to not make them worse

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

The key is to remember your successes, and put those in the forefront of your mind. Your failures should be in the back of it. You should learn from your mistakes, certainly, but you can't let them become stronger than your high points.

[Shadowed Watcher 183]

I work to help those I have hurt, knowing damn well that I will never succeed. 

[DubWolf 17,365]

I can't recall any mistake I made that has permanent damage. If in theory I was responsible for someone's serious injury or death, I would have a hard time ever moving on, and I'd try to make it up to them if possible, or I'd make it up through living differently.

[A goat 323]

When I make a small mistake, I usually find a way to fix it. But when I make a huge mistake, I get anxious as fuck for couple of days or even a week while trying to fix things up and failing, so I usually just talk to my parents and/or my therapist when I am able to get to him. Or I just let it heal.

 

Edit: now that I've actually read the description, I wouldn't know what the fuck to do other than wait for it to heal.

Edited December 23, 2014 by A goat

[FirstPonySpectre 176]

Simple. I don't make mistakes...

 

 

jkjk. I just realize that it's in the past, and I'm going to have to deal with the consequences. I shouldn't dwell on the fact that I made a mistake, I should focus on how to fix it. That's at least how I function. Haha.

[Invincible 2,091]

I don't. My past mistakes are a burden which will always haunt me - the best i can do is to learn from them and grow stronger in spite of them.

[SparklingSquirrels 21,354]

I'm usually pretty careful; I don't think I've ever made a mistake that bad. I guess I would try to fix the situation if possible...

[~Silver Essence~ 2,625]

I carefully and deeply think towards what went wrong, proceed to get neutrally okay, and most importantly, absorb what negative impact and actions I made, and let that guide me as my new improvements from here on out

 

It's unusual this way, I know, but this way, you deal with the pain quicker and move on at a better pace

[Snow Frostflame 3,568]

sadly I don't.... mistakes I can handle they will only bother me for a bit but anything major will never leave me alone, I'm constantly being reminded of things I did in my past that still haunt me no matter how long ago it was

[Saroth 102]

I don't usually dwell on mistakes. Most of the time I realize that in the future nobody is going to remember the mistake I made anyway, so it's not worth caring about it now unless I can learn from it.

[Justin_Case001 4,903]

I have a bad habit of beating myself up over mistakes and dwelling on them for way too long.  Sometimes even the stupidest mistakes can send me into a funk that takes days to get out of.  It's a real problem with me.  I know the logic of it, but it's hard to change.  It's just kind of how I am.