40 Regret Quotes Inspiring Acceptance And Growth
At some point in life, everyone feels the sting of regret. Whether it's a missed opportunity or a word left unspoken, these moments can linger in our minds. Reflecting on this collection of regret quotes can illustrate how some learn to accept their past fully while others continuously harness that feeling to improve.
This article unpacks our most common regrets, from not embracing risk to failing to cherish moments with loved ones. It also navigates through the strategies to handle these feelings constructively. So, let’s journey through the messages from authors to motivational speakers to understand regrets and how we can respond to them.
Quick links to our selection of regret quotes:
Best Regret Quotes About Its Truths
Regrets are a natural element of the human experience, often reflecting our innate desires for perfection. Phrases like "if only" or "it might have been" reveal our inclination towards self-reflection of alternate realities where different choices were made.
While common, it's crucial to address these feelings appropriately. The following discussions will delve deeper into understanding and managing these emotions effectively.
"Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been.’"
- Kurt Vonnegut
"If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world."
- Mercedes Lackey
"In history as in human life, regret does not bring back a lost moment and a thousand years will not recover something lost in a single hour."
- Stefan Zweig
"The longer our trail of regrets, the more we tend to value the importance of making wise decisions."
- Bob Santos
"It’s better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret."
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee
"Never regret yesterday. Life is in you today and you make your tomorrow."
- L. Ron Hubbard
Reminder Regret Quotes About Learning From What Happened
When we miss an opportunity or fall short of an action, regrets and overthinking often follow. Reminding ourselves that stumbling is part of the human journey is valuable. It is crucial to embrace our missteps and extract lessons from them. This approach helps us mitigate future regrets.
Keep reading the regret quotes to explore how we can transform our failures into stepping stones toward a desirable life.
"We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us."
- Lucy Maud Montgomery
"Regrets are not inherited. Regrets are those elements of life that seek to undermine our enthusiasm and our willingness to assume a life filled with new discoveries and the attainment of goals. Let not your regrets be your undoing but instead your vehicle to learn from what did not work."
- Byron Pulsifer
"We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes , you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future."
- Steve Maraboli
"There is no need to lament on the bygone failures, instead concentrate on things that you can change and let other things take their own course."
- Robert Gallagher
Regret Quotes On Taking Risks
Regrets often stem from moments when fear holds us back from seizing opportunities. Most of the time, our fear of failure paralyzes our will to leap and take the chance. To combat this, preparation is our ally. By equipping ourselves with knowledge and practice, we improve our confidence to act despite the fear.
Next, let's reflect on inspirational quotes that will prepare us for opportunities.
"Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable."
- Sydney Harris
"I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and wondering what life had been like if I'd just been myself."
- Brittany Renee
"Don't live your life regretting yesterday. Live your life so tomorrow you won't regret today."
- Catherine Pulsifer
Quotes About Living The Moment With No Regrets
Sometimes, our focus on specific goals is so intense that we overlook the joy of the present. This hyperfocus can lead to regret, as we miss out on the “now.” A powerful tool to combat this is mindfulness—staying aware and present in our day-to-day experiences.
After checking the regret quotes below, bookmark our mindfulness quotes and list of mindfulness journal prompts.
"If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of."
- Bruce Lee
"The only calibration that counts is how much heart people invest, how much they ignore their fears of being hurt or caught out or humiliated. And the only thing people regret is that they didn't live boldly enough, that they didn't invest enough heart, didn't love enough. Nothing else really counts at all."
- Ted Hughes
"We cannot always change what has happened to us, but we can change how we react and how we live in the future. Living with no regrets is living successfully."
- Dr. Ellen Taricani
"The first law of nature is self-preservation. Cut off that which may harm you. But if it is worth preserving, and is meaningful, nourish it and have no regrets. Ultimately, this is true living and love of self from within."
- T.F. Hodge
"Your children make it impossible to regret your past. They're its finest fruits. Sometimes the only ones."
- Anna Quindlen
Do Not Regret Quotes To Accept The Past
Even after understanding the value of mindfulness, we still dwell on the past. Instead of being caught in what has been, we can shift our mindset to one of acceptance and gratitude. Accepting that 'what's done is done' frees us from past chains. Meanwhile, gratitude helps us recognize how past experiences have shaped us.
Check the comforting quotes below to help you embrace your history as the foundation of your current self. Afterward, watch this inspirational Ted Talk by Lara Love Hardin on moving on from the past.
"I don't dwell in the past; I don't wallow in old events and emotions. I don't waste time on regret. No use going over and over the details of what already happened."
- Yanni
"Never regret anything from your past because one day, you'll look back and thank it for hurting you so much that you decided to become a stronger human being."
- Faith Star
"We don’t have to be defined by the things we did or didn’t do in our past. Some people allow themselves to be controlled by regret. Maybe it’s a regret, maybe it’s not. It’s merely something that happened. Get over it."
- Pittacus Lore
"Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart."
- Basil Rathbone
"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."
- Unknown
Other Quotes On How To Deal With Regrets
Dealing with regret means taking proactive steps: readying ourselves for future opportunities, staying mindful to cherish the present, and appreciating our past for forming our character. Each of these strategies helps mold a life with fewer regrets.
As we reflect on these approaches, let's consider insights from well-known figures about their perspectives on regret.
"I never regret anything. Because every little detail of your life is what made you into who you are in the end."
- Drew Barrymore
"People always ask me, ‘What is it that you regret?' And I say, ‘nothing, because I could not buy what I've learned.' And I apply those things to my life I learn. And hopefully, hopefully it helps me to be a better human in the future and make better choices."
- Katy Perry
"Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in."
- Katherine Mansfield
"I'm trying to make myself better. But I don't regret anything that I've gone through, because it makes me who I am."
- Nick Carter
Being Regretful Quotes With A Positive Outlook
Viewing regret from a positive perspective shows us how much we care. It signals a deep sense of involvement in our choices and their outcomes.
Moreover, regret isn't just about looking back; it's a chance to learn and grow, to sidestep similar pitfalls in the future. We equip ourselves to move forward with greater wisdom by learning from regret. Here are some regretful quotes with a positive note that reflect these messages.
"Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh."
- Henry David Thoreau
"Regret is a tough but fair teacher. To live without regret is to believe you have nothing to learn, no amends to make, and no opportunity to be braver with your life."
- Brené Brown
"Regret doesn’t remind us that we did badly. It reminds us that we know we can do better."
- Kathryn Schulz
Quotes About How Regret Is Human Nature
Being imperfect is being human. We all make mistakes and experience regret, but we evolve through these imperfections. Aside from evidence of humanity, regrets are signs of improvement, reminding us that growth is a constant part of life.
The following regret quotes perfectly capture this message.
"To admit regret is to understand that we are fallible - that there are powers beyond us. To admit regret is to lose control not only of a difficult past but of the very story we tell about our present. To admit sincere and abiding regret is one of our greatest but unspoken contemporary sins."
- David Whyte
"I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations — one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it — you will regret both."
- Soren Kierkegaard
"The only things I regret, and the only things I'll ever regret are things I didn't do. In the end, that's what we mourn. The paths we didn't take. The people we didn't touch."
- Scott Spencer
Other Quotes About The Common Regrets In Life
As we go through life, it's wise to be aware of common regrets that many encounter. Here are some of them: not staying true to oneself, holding back on big dreams, or not spending enough quality time with loved ones.
Recognizing these pitfalls allows us to steer our lives differently, making choices that align with our goals and values. Let's learn from these shared human experiences through the final set of regret quotes below.
"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."
- Alexander Graham Bell
"One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself."
- Shannon L. Alder
"We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment."
- Jim Rohn
"At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more race, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with your family."
- Barbara Bush
"The only thing worse than giving up is wishing that you hadn't."
- Rachel Hollis
"Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what. If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff."
- Catherine M. Wallace
"You might be looking for reasons but there are no reasons."
- Nina LaCour
Isabela is a determined millennial passionate about continuously seeking out ways to make an impact. With a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering with honors, Isabela’s research expertise and interest in artistic works, coupled with a creative mindset, offers readers a fresh take on different environmental, social, and personal development topics.
