how do you avoid feeling depressed and focus on the future rather than regrets in the past?

Answer 1

you can't change the past only the future if you do somehting about it today!!

Answer 2

I used to do that 'avoiding' thing. I was damned good at it too - it's called 'practising avoidance' (or 'ignoring the obvious').

If you get depressed, then it's for a reason. It means that something within is telling you 'all is not well with you state of being.'

It's akin to ignoring an ache / pain or a lump which is pointing for your attention towards something unpleasant going on within your body.

Acknowledging depression is a good first step, finding someone to help you find your reasons is the second step ....or not! You chose.

As for 'past regrets,' well, you are always going to have them, if you want them; it's all about perspective ....the half full / empty glass type of thing.

We can choose to carry baggage with us if we want, after all, you might just need that book, or sweater you carry in your bag, sometime. But then, you can choose not to carry it, Instead, you can work up a sweat as you walk, this will keep you warm and obviate the need for the sweater ...and you'd cover the distance to the next shelter quicker (in place of the book, you can make up your own stories).

Best of luck.
Sash.

Answer 3

Keep busy, try meet new people on a regular basis (join a gym, take up dance classes or art classes, hell even cookery classes) to take your mind of the past - create a more vibrant fun present! Do something crazy like booking a Skydiving trip or a Bungy Jump. Then make a list of all the must-do's for the year - try include one adrenalin something for each month, something challenging to look foward to or work towards.

Hopefully you can make the present more exciting and the future more optimistic and that way you will feel less of a need to look back on the past!

Good luck - it may take time but don't give up!!

Answer 4

in my opinion you should focus on the present. It is the only thing you have somewhat control over. Looking into the future can make you miss out on things and also cause disapointment. Thus inturn causing depressed thoughts. As stated before, in other answers, you cannot change the past. Live life the best you can and deal with what you didn't do right. Don't make the same mistakes twice and things should go as smoothly as life will allow.

Answer 5

Awww... babygirl you gotta look at it like this. There's nothing you can do about the past, but the reason for mistakes and hardships back then are for you to learn from them and and make the best of it the next time around in your future. Experience is the best teacher and just know that everything is gonna be alright because only YOU have control of that and you won't be depressed!

Answer 6

Believe that we do not make mistakes we learn lessons! where do you want to be in a years time? Think of 10 things you would like to do then focus on those goals and get one at a time. go forward not back.We can't change the past but we can the future. Believe in your self then others will too.

Answer 7

Your past will always be with you. What is most useful in overcoming depression is allowing your past to work for you. Learn from it and make it the foundation you can now stand on. All of us have regrets. All of us make mistakes. Some are harder to make something of that is improving but if we do we are enabled for our future. Hope rests in our ability to turn life upside down and come out with a new outlook.

Answer 8

It isn't easy. but it must be done to have a happy current time and happy future. Make a list of your past troubles. Put them in a box and toss them or burn then. A good technique is what i call self talk. You have memories in your brain that are negative. Time to retrain your brain. When you are bemoaning or overhashing the past.......YOU have a choice to change the internal dialog. Talk out loud to your self, if you are in a place where you can. Say : I choose to change. I choose, health , happiness, contentment" and say that over and over to yourself. Make up several self talk things. Keop then on note cards and work on reprograming your brain. The bad stuff from the pas will laways be there. but YOU have the choice to NOT giive the past such power.

Answer 9

Our past is what shapes our thinking for the future. Do not forget the past use it to focus on the future by learning from the mistakes you made.

Answer 10

That is hard to do, I find my self regretting things that I have done in the past, but have started to learn that we all make mistakes and we needed to do all the things we've done in our life that is what makes us who we are now, I guess try hard to focus on today since no one knows how long any one has in this life, it's to short to wast being sad and worrying about what happened in the past, move on and enjoy life

Answer 11

its hard to get the boiling of inner thoughts of regret and doubt away from your head.. even thou you see your regrets and doubts and negatives you must turn them around and see them as possitives, without these you wouldnt of learnt to be who you are.. focus on a hobby, education or sport you always wanted to take up and see that life is tough, yet it is achieveable.

I tend to wake up in the morning and feel depressed, i have a small thoughts books, asking me what made me depressed, why i feel this way and how i can conquer this feeling and make it a good feeling. Usually a small target for the day sets me off into a happy atmosphere, that i never thought of getting to.