Monday, December 14, 2009

My life lessons: Doubt and Regret

Why is life so cruel you may ask yourself...

Well, life has many twist and turns. One day you may be the luckiest man on earth. On others, you may be pummelled by its cruelty. Many decisions we make frequently involve following two things. Your emotions and your logic (common sense).

A person who uses emotions to decide normally would be influenced by his friends, his family and his immediate response to any situation. He would be driven to do many things that he would think is appropriate for that particular situation. He would have sight and no vision, often reckless and impulsive. But he is also faithful and motivated, believing in his actions and hoping that everything will turn out right.

A person who uses logic to decide however always tries to look at the bigger picture. He does not trust his instincts and would not change his decision easily. He would take a while to ponder before making a decision and would often lose opportunities because of this. A person like this would have vision and no sight, often insensitive. But a person like this would be analytical and practical and would most likely make use of his opportunities well provided they do not escape him first.

Both groups adopt different ways to live life. However some may change groups in different situations. But back to the point at hand. Both groups share the same problems. Even with countless beliefs and calculations both groups still face the problem of doubt.

Yes, doubt affects us all. It clouds our mind and makes us hesitate. It causes us to lose hope and give up. You might have had a situation where you were presented with choices in which you are doubtful. Will this answer be the right one? Am I doing the right thing? Will I hurt her if I do this? Such questions will break us if not handled properly.

Even after you have made your decision, you would still be affected by doubt. You would ask yourself whether a better consequence would have resulted if you chose a different path. If doubt persists, then regret follows. All the past decisions that did not turn out well, you will most likely regret them. I am no exception. Ever felt that you should have done something else after you have made a decision? If this worsens, regret would cause you to lose your self-esteem and depression would arrive at your doorstep.

So you should not worry too much about your past decisions or how your decisions now would affect the future. Know what you have to do, make sure it is the right thing and get it done. Do not let doubt or regret affect your decisions. Treat every decision like it was your first. Do what you can towards the right decision and believe in it. Many have let doubt change their decisions even when they first chose the best possible path. Plan for the worst and hope for the best...

What, When, Why, Who, Where, How? The past is filled with regret and the future is filled iwth doubt. But the NOW, is the thing that you can change. You have regretted a decision in the past? Learn from it. Doubtful about the future? Have faith now. Now is the thing that you can influence, the object without doubt nor regret. It is the period of time where whatever you do is certain. That's why it is called present.