“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.”
— Henry David Thoreau
Sometimes I catch myself looking back on my life — usually not with nostalgia, but with regret. Regret for what I did wrong, what I could have done differently, or for the moments that still make me cringe when I think about them.
When that starts to happen, I remind myself of something simple but true: I did the best I could with the tools I had at the time.
Was I a great person at all times? Absolutely not.
Was I petty or bitter at times? Yes.
Could I have treated people with more kindness or openness? Definitely.
But that’s not the whole story. I was also the rock for my friends when they were in trouble — the one they called when they needed help or a place to stay. I had many friends and was generally liked and respected. I worked hard and lived a good life, maybe one of too much abundance and not enough reflection on what really mattered. There was a lot of good mixed in with the mistakes, even if I tend to dwell on the bad when I look back.
Hindsight has a way of making everything look obvious. At the time, I believed I was doing what was right. And in that sense — it was right, because it’s what brought me to where I am today.
That’s how I choose to see it now. Because if I spend too much time replaying the past, I risk getting stuck there.
Life is a journey. The people we meet, the decisions we make, and the lessons we learn — they shape who we become. The point isn’t perfection; it’s growth.
Do I still have flaws? Of course. But my energy is better spent looking forward — improving the habits, relationships, and daily systems that build the life I want now.
Spending too much time analyzing the distant past is a losing game.
The present is where the work gets done. And the future is built one disciplined day at a time.