JumpStart Invasive Species Awareness Day (2/24/25)

QUOTE: "Regret is what we feel when we do something for ourselves that hurts the people who love us." (Anonymous)

MESSAGE: Regret is defined as “an aversive emotion focused on the belief that some event from the past could have been changed in order to produce a more desirable outcome.”

Everyone has regrets (unless you’re under 5, a sociopath, or have brain damage).

In his book, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, Daniel Pink collected over 16,000 regrets from people all over the world and found that they could be divided into four groups:

Foundation regrets 

• Regrets about stability and responsibility, such as quitting school, overspending, or unhealthy habits
• These regrets can stem from a failure to be prudent, responsible, or conscientious

Boldness regrets

• Regrets about missed opportunities, such as not starting a business, moving to a new city, or taking a chance on a relationship 
• People often regret not taking a chance, even if it doesn't work out 

Moral regrets

• Regrets about making regrettable ethical choices, such as cheating on a test or swindling a business partner 
• These regrets stem from doing the wrong thing when you had a choice 

Connection regrets 

• Regrets about neglecting important relationships, such as not reaching out to a friend before they died
• These regrets can stem from letting relationships drift and waiting too long to reconnect

While no one likes to confront their regrets, they CAN help us make better decisions and change our behaviors.  Remember that true change only comes from some sort of pain (emotional or physical) and regret definitely falls into the realm of emotional pain.

This week, try this:   Think about one of your biggest regrets and then look at how you have changed because of it, hopefully for the better.  Then be grateful for the lesson and the better life you have because of it.
​
DAD JOKE:  I've started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes.  It's all about raisin awareness.