The Case of The Should'vesss

I was having dinner with one of my best-friends the other night at 4Rivers Smokehouse (this place has some serious BBQ...we waited in line for over an hour just to order our food!!) and we were talking about how much we've grown individually, since last year.

Somehow we got down the road of conversation where I was saying, "I should've done that...I shouldn't said this...I shouldn't have put up with that...," and my friend said something really profound that stuck with me.

She said, "Stop beating yourself up over all the SHOULD'VEs! Yes, I shouldn't be drinking this Diet Coke right now, I shouldn't have eaten that last piece of cake yesterday, and yes, I shouldn't have given my phone number to that asshole I met downtown...but I did and all those things are in my past. I can't change what's already happened."

I looked at her and said,"You are so right!!" It was like a weight had been lifted. I realized that the only thing I have control over is my present and my future. I can't change the past and I can't beat myself up over stupid decisions I made. I made them (for whatever reason) and that's ok, because at that time in my life, I thought I was doing the right thing. 

I'm sure that all of us have sat down and pondered all the "Should'ves" in our lives, but the truth is that you can't live your life in regrets. Choose to take a stand for yourself and make choices that are positively beneficial to your own well-being. 

Everyone makes mistakes and through those mistakes we learn and grow. Stop looking at life in the rear-view mirror and start looking into the wide-open space ahead of you. It only gets better from here!

Ps. I'll be posting a yummy Fall Time recipe tomorrow that is gluten-free & has a hint of pumpkin!! :)