A few years ago, I had a huge self-realization that changed my outlook. I know that I carry a lot of negative energy with me sometimes. Depression, sadness, worry, fear: these states of being can get the best of me and bring me and others around me down.

Randomly, self-realization hit me: why am I wasting time on emotions and states of being that make me unhappy? Why should I spend anymore time than I have to wasting away with negative energy? I’m always going to have the moments and periods in my life that won’t be the happiest or positive; I’ll likely continue to regret my words and actions from time to time (it’s almost inevitable).

I decided that these negative emotions were a waste of my time. I see no reason to carry on as a negative person so much and I won’t live from my regrets. Sure, you can’t just deny that you feel a certain way at a certain time, but there are positive ways to reflect from those things in life that make you feel a certain way. A few years ago, I saw a friend of mine give me a great example of dealing with problems. Most of the crap I let get to me I should brush off my shoulder. Dismiss it. Forget about it. Most of the problems I let get to me are petty, not worth getting upset about.

I do everything I can to learn from my regrets and try to move on as quickly as time allows. It helps me to be positive and happy, things that resonate to others around me too. It’s not always easy to do this, but it’s a goal I’m committing to for the rest of my life.