False Reflection and Regret

Reflection is a necessary act.
Unlike regret, reflection involves an honest evaluation—
pinpointing what went wrong in your past choices,
and adjusting your habits, goals, and mindset
so you don’t repeat the same mistakes.
Only when this process happens
can reflection be considered complete.
Regret, on the other hand,
is reflection mixed with negative emotions—
anger, sadness, fear, isolation,
and a sense of helplessness.
Both reflection and regret
are responses to the past.
But they only carry meaning
if they lead to change in the future.
If you’ve truly reflected,
you should aim to do better.
If you’ve truly felt regret,
you should avoid making the same mistake again.
Otherwise, it’s empty.
And it’s not real.

reflection, regret, chang