I have made a lot of mistakes and try my best not to look back at the mistakes ive made. But for the sake of this post i would like to offer you the chance to state something you would have done differently in your past given the chance.
To be honest I probably wouldn't change anything. I couldn't anyway so I don't see the point on dwelling on thing's from the past. We all make mistakes but it's the now and the future that counts. It's like having regrets, I have them, I'm sure everybody does but from every bad decision you've made, you have to try and take the positives from situations, and that goes for everybody, not just addicts, recovering addicts and ex addicts.
Thats a good attitude to have, i think some people probably look back too much. I no from a personal point of view that i have been guilty of this. I think the things i regret are generally to do with destroying relationships and friendships. Listen thanks for shareing
A forum such as this is what helps a lot of people, different perspective and a different way of looking at things. I'm sure like I said, regret eats away at a lot of people, me aswell, but you come to a point where you realise that what's happened as happened, you can apologise, and make sure you don't make the same mistakes again, but you can't turn back time. If only...are two words that can ruin a future in my opinion so while it's good not to forget, dwelling on things from the past will only ruin your future.
The only thing I'd change in my past is the part where I use drugs. While yes it's true we learn from our mistakes, drugs for me were a big mistake. The sort of mistakes which take away everything you value. If that was what I had to learn about drug abuse then the lesson was damn too costly. Currently I'm still in the recovery process and as long as I stay strong soon the addiction will be but a faint memory. I don't dwell on the past though . . . there are too many painful memories which must be left buried.
I would never have accepted the Vicodin from my mom when she offered it to me. I'd been injured in a bad car crash and was taking Ultram but it wasn't stopping all the pain. My mom had tons of Vicodin left over from having her gallbladder removed about 6 months previously and gave me the huge bottle. That was the start of my addiction problems as I also had untreated bipolar disorder and anxiety.
Personally, I wouldn't change anything about my past, not even the fact that I was addicted to various substances. I'm under the impression that even though things went bad in the past it all happened for a reason, and that was to improve myself as a person. I wouldn't have my awesome life today if my experience from the past wasn't present.
If I were given the chance to go back in time to change something in my life, I would probably repeat it as it has been, because thanks of the experiences I have gotten, good or bad, I am this way today. Perhaps not perfect, perhaps dragging a baggage full of mistakes and wrong things, but a good person in essence, that tries to be better every day. I'm satisfied with myself, and maybe the only that I would really change would be the approach of the relationship with my father. Now that he has passed, I feel to have never understood him at all, nor sharing enough time with him. He was a good man and I know he loved me, but I feel like not having be the good child he deserved and thought I was.
Just like everybody else is, I have also done a lot of mistakes in the past, but I wouldn't change any of them. Those things and experiences made me the person I am today. I have learned and realized so many things in life. And I would always keep those lessons in my mind and heart.
There were things in my life that I could have done differently, or not waited so long to do. I’ve been known to berate myself for not having done so, but that’s just detrimental. So I try not to think too much about it, and instead remind myself that the choices I made (or didn’t make) each held lessons. Which ultimately means I wouldn’t change my past. It’s made me who I am now, and I think I’ve turned out more or less okay.
Good question! I would change my life style. Instead of going out at night, drinking and having drugs, I'd start doing sports and eating healthy, that's what I'd change.
Perhaps channeling all the time spent getting drunk into meaningful activities/learning a new skill. That said, like a lot of the previous posters here, I believe that life is better spent focusing in the now rather than dwelling on the past..so yeah, no regrets here.
I think the only thing I would change is all the partying I did and the drugs I took when I was about 19 years old. Even thinking about that, I might not want it to change because I would not have crossed the paths I did and be where I am today.
I would be more true to who am I, in the past I used to hide myself beside a mask that everyone lived to see me in, and I lived like that for about four years, I was so miserable but at the end of the day I decided to change that, and I did...but I think that it was a little bit late for a change.
There are so many times we wish we had a magical machine that could take us back into time, and we could undo some of the mistakes from out past, and while it is healthy to wonder what it would be like, it can also be a destructive path for those who may think that all hope is lost. I wish I was smarter, more honest, and not looking for external validation all the time. In spite of that, I am happy I had those experiences. How else would I know the importance of independence if I did not experience being dependent? I would not change any of that, and instead focus on my future, because that is something I can change.
No one is perfect. We have all made mistakes at one point or the other. Honestly, I look back into my life and wish I could change many things--not just one. I wish there were certain things I never did, I also wish that there were somethings that I did. At the end of the day, everything I passed through served as a classroom for me. I suffered so much because of certain decisions I took, but they only make me learn better. After all, people often say that "what does not kill you make you stronger." I am very strong now, more than I would have been had I not gone through these situations. It is not as if I will advice that people go through pain to learn certain things; I wish that people could learn from the testimonies of other people and change. Yes, I did many things that I wish I had not done, but I thank my God for seeing me through and making me stronger.
Yes! We can't change what we did wrong, but can build a new future for us upon those mistakes we made. Experience we earned is what make of us the persons of today, probably somewhat wiser for the first time.
I would have loved to change my childhood starting from my academic years, so that I can have a fresh start and I would have been a consistent brainy student until I graduate in college. I started slacking when I got older, so my credentials isn't impressive.
I would change my habits. Instead of going out every single day drinking and having drugs I'd do sports and spend my time being healthy. That would have made a big difference for me.
We can't really say that we would not change anything. If it were possible to reverse things that we did in the past we would gladly grab at the chance to. So yes there are some things that I would want to change, but because it's irreversible I do not dwell on them. For example, there were some friends that I would never have rallied around if I had the knowledge that I have now. They were only negative influence and caused me to get involved in things that could only destroy my future. I'm glad I came to my senses quick enough though.