No one escapes having regrets; the longer you live, the more you have. Regrets for a decision made, or a choice you didn’t make; regrets for foolish behavior that lead to bad outcomes; regrets for self- destructive acts, regrets for a path not taken.
It’s not useful to continue to berate yourself for past regrets, to keep recycling them in your mind, driving down your self-esteem. I’m not suggesting a hall pass for poor choices or bad behavior; I’m suggesting you learn the lesson from the regret and commit to not making the same mistake again. Accept that all of us have a list of regrets; it is part of being human. Use your regrets to learn life lessons so your decision making improves and supports your values. Recycling in your mind how stupid, awful or vile you have been, only harms you. The lesson is to reach back in time and grab what you learned not the regret.
