Experiencing regret is a natural part of human life, but you can’t let it overtake your thoughts. When you can’t let go of past mistakes, it can prevent you from moving forward. These quotes about regret can help you let go and start living a meaningful life right now.
You might regret something you did or said in the past. Regret could also come from something you didn’t do. Anytime the outcome wasn’t what you intended or desired, it can cause lingering sadness.
If you can’t release negativity and overcome regret, it can affect every area of your life. You’ll find that it’s hard to move forward and chase your dreams when you keep thinking of the past. However, many inspirational quotes about regret can give you the strength you need to get through.
These quotes about regret are perfect for helping you let go of negative thoughts from the past. They’ll give you the motivation you need to live a better life, and you’ll find comfort knowing that you aren’t alone.
Fifteen Quotes About Regret to Help You Let Go
1. “Regret is an odd emotion because it comes only upon reflection. Regret lacks immediacy, and so its power seldom influences events when it could do some good.” – William O’Rourke
You can’t regret things that haven’t happened yet, so it occurs when you think back on your past. Regret doesn’t happen right away, so there’s nothing beneficial to gain from fixating on it.
The power of regret is intense, but it doesn’t do any good when it occurs so much later. Use this quote to remember that holding onto regret won’t help, so it’s best to let go.
2. “Regrets only apply when we don’t learn from a situation. No sense looking back, look forward with new knowledge and no regret.” – Catherine Pulsifer
If you learn from a situation, you shouldn’t regret what happened. Mistakes are all about learning and doing better in the future.
You wouldn’t get these learning opportunities if things always went perfectly and you didn’t mess up. Learn from your experiences and then refuse to look back because your new knowledge will help the present and future.
3. “Let’s dare to promote ourselves to better ‘us’ by working hard and moving forward instead of regretting and rewinding the past.” – Pantea Kalhor
You won’t become a better version of yourself if you can’t let go of the past. This quote about regret reminds you to keep moving forward no matter what happens. Regret leaves you stuck in the past, hindering your ability to improve your life.
4. “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
No matter how much you regret something, it doesn’t change what happened. The moment is gone, and all you can do is accept how things turned out.
Regret only impacts your present life and your opportunities in the future. Since there’s nothing you can do to change the past, let go of those feelings so that you don’t keep losing time over it now.
5. “Stop fretting about past decisions. They have provided valuable wisdom. Go forward without fear or regret.” – Paul Martens
You might not love every decision you’ve made in your life, but there’s no use dwelling on them. Since you can’t change what happened before, let go of the negative feelings. Instead, use your newfound wisdom to move forward and be happy.
6. “We all do things we desperately wish we could undo. Those regrets just become part of who we are, along with everything else. To spend time trying to change that, well, it’s like chasing clouds.” – Libba Bray
Mistakes happen, and since you can’t change them, you must learn to make the most of them. Embrace your life as it is right now and find ways to improve things in the present. You can only change things that haven’t occurred yet, so living with regret won’t get you anywhere.
7. “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
Everyone makes mistakes in life, as this quote about regret reminds you. Indeed, everyone wishes certain situations had gone differently. However, your mistakes and struggles don’t define who you are.
Don’t let these thoughts hold you back in life because you deserve every opportunity and experience you can take. As you realize that you can change your present, you’ll forgive yourself for the past and have the confidence to chase your dreams.
8. “When one door closes, another opens, but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell
When things don’t work out the way you wanted them to, it doesn’t mean that your opportunity is lost. Instead, it means there’s something else out there for you, but you have to remain open to the chance.
Stop looking back and fixating on things you can’t change. Focus on living in the present and doing what you can to live a meaningful life from now on.
9. “Don’t regret your mistakes. You’ll always make mistakes. The better you are, the less mistakes you make. The only way to get better is to thoroughly analyze your mistakes.” – James Altucher
One way to let go of regret is to stop regretting your mistakes altogether. Mistakes happen, and each mishap is a learning opportunity. Don’t regret situations that you learn from because they help you become a better version of yourself.
10. “If you aren’t in the moment, you are either looking forward to uncertainty, or back to pain and regret.” – Jim Carrey
Stay focused on living in the moment because it’s the only way to let go of regret. This quote about regret reminds you that looking at the past stops you from seeing the present and building a better future.
11. “Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret, and depression. Do not repeat them in the future.” – Swami Sivananda
Constantly thinking of your past decisions only leads to more regret and negativity. Remember this quote and do as Sivananda explains. Let go of the past and make sure you don’t make the same mistakes in the future.
12. “The past could always be annihilated. Regret, denial, or forgetfulness could do that. But the future was inevitable.” – Oscar Wilde
When you live with regret, denial, or forgetfulness, it causes problems in your present. Those aspects of negativity can destroy anything, so let go of them right away. Your future has potential, but you must first overcome your feelings of regret.
13. “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
The things that happened in your past don’t matter anymore. You can decide to move forward and forgive yourself for your mistakes at any moment. Don’t continue regretting what you did because it won’t help you progress in life.
14. “Sure, you wish you did some things differently. But there is no sense in becoming burdened with regret over things you have no power to change.” – Rihanna
You’ll always wish you made different choices at specific parts of your life, but you don’t have to fixate on regret. Instead, learn from your mistakes so that you can use the situation as a positive stepping stone.
This quote about regret warns that rumination doesn’t do anything but waste your time and energy. You can’t change it, so focus on what you can change right now.
15. “One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.” – Shannon L. Alder
Follow the path you want for your life so that you don’t look back with regret. Many people regret the things they didn’t do and the opportunities they didn’t take.
As Alder explains, please don’t give in to pressure from others who think they know what’s best for your life. Be yourself and do the things that bring meaning to your life so that you don’t live with regret.
Final Thoughts on Quotes About Regret to Help You Let Go
While you wish you could change things that happened in your past, regret can consume your life. Learn to let go and move forward so that you can make the most of your life. When you let go of remorse, you can focus on the present and do what’s best for your future.
These quotes about regret can help you let go and move forward while focusing on positivity. As you read through the passages, remember that you aren’t alone in making mistakes. Remember the phrases that apply to your situation and refer to them anytime you feel remorse.
