Yes, I know shouldda, wouldda and couldda aren’t actual words.

But how many times have you said:
• I should have done…
• I wish I would have…
• I should have known better…
• I could have…

Well, the only SHOULD you should do, is stop saying should!

S – Stop
H – Hearing
O – Old
U – Unimportant
L – Life
D – Decisions

(hey, YOU try to come up with something better! LOL)

I know when I play these tapes of what could have, what should have or what could have been over and over again, all I do is second guess my ability to decide for myself and make myself miserable.

Ask yourself this: Why beat myself up over something that’s already happened?

It’s over.

Forgive yourself if necessary (because we all make mistakes.)

Move on.

Did you learn a lesson from what you did? If so, great. If not, then brace yourself for the next thing that’s headed your way. (because there always will be if you don’t learn from your mistakes – you’ll get more chances to learn!)

I’ve made so many mistakes in my life. I’ve taken many years to learn a seemingly simple lesson. I’ve focused on the little things and beat myself up repeatedly for things I did years ago.

Then finally I realized a very simple lesson:

I’m human. I make mistakes.

I make my own happiness or misery.

I choose happiness.

So the next time you’re shoullda, wouldda or couldda-ing all over yourself and everyone else around you, take a step back and think about how ridiculous it is to punish yourself over and over again for something you did. You did the best you could at the time. Hopefully you learned from your bad decisions.

Focus on the good things. There are always good things. That’s why I preach gratitude so much! When you get in the space of gratitude, there’s no room for the negatives…

Don’t you think it’s time you retired shouldda, wouldda and couldda for yourself?

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