In writing about my regrets, I have realised that I need to write about positive things that have happened in my life. In deciding what to call these positives, or opposites of regrets I spent more than the odd moment thinking about what I should call them. In the end, I came up with ‘Celebrations’. Now, I’m actually feeling pretty smug about this so I hope that you are able to share in my excitement at these moments of celebration.
When I properly look back upon my life to date, I have had many occasions to celebrate. In writing about them, I am conscious that I am carrying out this whole exercise in response to my initial idea of writing only about those things that I regret in life. Of course it is easier to write about negative things – at least I find it that way; due to my well established self view perhaps? So, this series of articles may sound slightly stilted, unnatural even. Or at least it will to me, you dear reader might find it no better or worse than anything else you have read her.
Like my regrets, I have categorised my celebrations into Personal, Educational, Romantic and Financial.
| R | Realising that at 43 years old, life can get better |
| P | My children |
| E | Exam success at O Levels |
| E | Going to University – by extension, A Level results and all the good things that happened there; including passing my degree |
| E / P / F | Getting onto and then passing my PGCE; becoming a teacher |
| P / F | Buying my first house; buying second house and the profit made on that, invested into the extension built on the third |
| F / P | Finding my first proper, grown up job; the great friends that I made in that endeavour |
| P | Realising which people I should be hanging around with (at the age of 13 and again at 17 / 18) |
Now I am sure that there are more of these. But just for now, let’s stick with this little group. It is the nature of positivity that many of us find it difficult to accept praise or to think, talk or write positively about ourselves. I am no exception to this hypothesis. But, there we are. As with my regrets, I want to use this exercise to try and understand why I am the person who I am. If I had been able to generate more positivity for myself would I have behaved differently when faced with the negative dilemmas?
