I’m sure the majority of you are familiar with the saying “live your life without regrets”…
THE STORY
…While that is a noble goal, I believe that for the majority of us, it is also unattainable. I can truly only speak for myself here, but I can honestly say that I have regrets from way back before I even fully comprehended what the word “regret” meant.
I regret the time I taunted a hornets nest with a long piece of rope (there’s the answer to my now overwhelming fear of flying insects); I regret the time I was super bored in 3rd grade math and twisted a comb around in my long hair to the point the school nurse had to cut it out; and I really really regret the time my dog, Wolf wanted to play in the snow and instead I ran from him and he tackled me face first into a pile of dog poop…yep, huge regret there.
The real regrets though, the regrets that are ugly and raw, that perhaps reveal a side of ourselves we would prefer to keep hidden? Those are actually what I’m getting at. For example, not allowing my grandma to teach me how to sew because I was just too cool and didn’t have the time for her. I don’t regret it because I wish I could sew (which I do with btw), I regret it because my grandma simply wanted to be with me and share her knowledge, and I wasted the opportunity. I regret the fact I resented my mother for being sick my entire childhood leaving me to be the sole caregiver instead of being a kid…I should have been less of bitch about it and told her that I loved her more often and kept the harsh words to myself.
The list goes on, but since this post was not intended to be a confessional I’ll get to the point. And the point is this…We all have regrets. Every single one of us. It is simply part of the process of living. Humans are all capable of mind boggling stupidity; we sometimes make decisions based upon nothing more than raging emotions in the heat of the moment. We don’t always think things through. We say and do things based on a whim in a single moment of time. A regret is nothing more than a mistake to which we have given validity. When over time we realize well and truly screwed up and we feel badly about it…that is regret.
The hard part is learning to live with it because sometimes the effects ripple through our lives forever like a pebble dropped in a pond. We can’t ignore our regrets or they will eat us alive. We need to acknowledge our regrets and move on. We need to stop and reflect on why it happened and how we feel about it. Regret is an important tool to help us become better people. Learning how to come to terms with our own missteps is a valuable life skill.
Simple acknowledgement won’t make it go away. Acknowledging it won’t make it right. It will however give us the chance to learn and grow from our regrets. It will help us to know how to do better next time. When regret rears its ugly head, just keep in mind that it’s nothing more than a little nudge from our conscience reminding us to do a quick review of our life lessons; a reminder of where we were and how far we’ve come. So do that review, resolve to continue doing better, give yourself grace, and then move on from it.
What are your thoughts on regrets…are they something to be avoided at all costs or a valuable tool for personal growth?
THE OUTFIT
Today’s outfit tells a story of the unexpected; the unexpected pairing of a flouncy tulle skirt with a casual badass motorcycle sweatshirt. It’s a not so subtle reminder that a woman is full of contradictions…
I so love a good tulle skirt. It’s no surprise I’m sure that I own several and for the life of me I can’t explain why I don’t pull them out more often. I have this exact tulle skirt in pink, ivory, burgundy and light blue and my favorite way to style them is with casual pieces…although they do make good layering pieces under dresses or other skirts too!
My Harley Davidson sweatshirt was a Christmas gift to myself. I stopped by the local Harley shop to pick up a hoodie for my husband and when I saw this sweatshirt for 30% off I had to have it. I love the simplicity and almost vintage look of the design and a good heather gray sweatshirt is something I find hard to resist. I knew that when I wore it the first time I wanted to style it with either one of my chiffon or tulle skirts. I went with the black tulle skirt because it just didn’t look quite right with my other skirts; something about the colors in the graphic didn’t jive right with anything other than the black tulle. Since it’s chilly (but still not cold) I opted for over the knee boots and bare legs.
THE TIP
Every girl needs a tulle skirt…even us grownup girls. They are surprisingly easy to style and can be dressed up or down. They pair well with tee shirts, sweaters, hoodies, even a blazer that’s a more cropped length. I’ve worn my tulle with cowboy boots, sneakers, over the knee boots, ankle boots, sandals…you’re truly only limited by your imagination…
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Sweatshirt: Harley Davidson Apparel; Skirt: Amazon; Boots: Amazon
**Disclaimer: Commission earned through shopping links in this post.
