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"If I only knew then what I know now." That lament pretty much sums up how I feel about bad choices made in the past.

We make choices based on the information and knowledge we have at the time. When we are young, we don't always make the best choices. The reasons for our bad choices fall into several categories:

* Lack of experience

* lack of knowledge

* lack of judgment

* lack of maturity

As we get older, we make bad choices for the same reasons, but with more complex decision making challenges. Our judgment becomes clouded with feelings of inferiority or superiority, substance abuse, mental illness, poverty, envy and all the other numerous conditions and situations influencing the human condition.

Another significant reason we make bad choices is low self esteem. Subconsciously we might think we don't deserve something better in life, and therefore, we settle for the bad choice.

Or negative voices resonating from the past make us believe this is the best we can hope for, and again, we settle.

When we find ourselves repeatedly making bad choices, it is time to think about getting help with our self esteem issues. Repeating the same bad choices over and over can be our downfall, and put us at risk on various levels.

Bad choices fall under the category of inexperience. Most bad choices are made in ignorance and, when we later become enlightened through knowledge or maturity, it is best to cut our losses and move on to better choices.

The only time bad choices are regrettable is when we knowingly enter into the bad choice and contiue along that path with no remorse.

On the other hand, time has a way of putting some previously perceived bad choices into perspective. What seemed like a bad choice at the time, upon reflection, could be a blessing in disguise. How often have you thought to yourself, "If I hadn't made that bad choice, I would not have been in the right place to receive this good opportunity."

Life is short. There is no point wasting time on regrets about bad choices. Better to move on with the lessons learned and give conscious thought to making better choices going forward.

Learn more about this author, Carol Gioia.
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