Regret is a powerful emotion that can linger long after the moment has passed.
This collection of regret quotes helps you reflect on past actions without being overwhelmed by guilt or sorrow.
These quotes emphasize the importance of learning from mistakes, letting go of the past, and moving forward with newfound wisdom.
While regret can feel heavy, these words offer a reminder that every experience—whether good or bad—has value in shaping who we become.
Whether you’re dealing with regrets about missed opportunities or things left unsaid, these quotes encourage self-compassion and remind you that it’s never too late to create a better future.
Quotes to Help You Let Go of Regret
Regret is mostly caused by not having done anything
The only regrets I have in life are the things I didn’t do
Never regret anything that made you smile
In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take
We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret
One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself — Shannon L. Alder
I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done — Lucille Ball
Our biggest regrets are not for the things we did, but for the things we didn’t do
Regret for wasted time is more wasted time
Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it — Katherine Mansfield
Regrets are the natural property of gray hairs
Life is too short to wake up with regrets
There is no greater regret than failing to do what your heart truly desires
The only people who fear death are those with regrets
At the end of life, we will regret only the things we didn’t do
Never regret anything because at one time, it was exactly what you wanted
The only thing worse than regret is not taking the risk in the first place
In life, we all have regrets for things we didn’t do, but inaction breeds the most
You can’t regret something you didn’t do unless you’re willing to accept that you were afraid to try
You can’t change the past, but you can regret it, and that’s a start
Learning From Regret Through Powerful Words
Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been’ — Kurt Vonnegut
In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take
Never regret anything that made you smile
Regret is the most useless emotion
I regret nothing in my life, even if my past was full of hurt, I still look back and smile, because it made me who I am today
Regret is an inevitable consequence of life
Sometimes I wish I could go back in life. Not to change things, just to feel a few things twice
The only thing worse than regret is being afraid to try
Regret is the only wound the soul does not recover from
You can’t regret what you didn’t do; fear is the real thief of opportunity
Regret is a terrible thing because it leaves an indelible mark
It’s better to regret something you did than something you didn’t do
Regrets, even the most painful ones, eventually fade into distant memories
No regrets, just lessons learned
We must live with the consequences of our actions, but the true regret is never acting at all
Regret is the ghost of missed opportunities
If you live your life with purpose, you will never feel regret
I don’t regret the things I’ve done; I regret the things I didn’t do when I had the chance
The only regrets I have are for the things I didn’t do
The greatest regrets are for those things left undone
Regret is Part of Life—These Quotes Prove It
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable — Sydney J. Harris
In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take, relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make
Never regret anything in life, because it makes you who you are
It’s better to look back on life and say, “I can’t believe I did that” than to look back and say, “I wish I did that”
Regret is the worst thing you can experience in life
I think that the only way to truly regret is to be indifferent, to know that you had the power to change things and did nothing
The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone — Harriet Beecher Stowe
Life is about the moments we create, not the ones we regret
Regret is the thief of life — Elizabeth Gaskell
The biggest regret of life is wasted potential
I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done — Lucille Ball
You may regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did
Regret is the final act of cowardice
Never regret something that once made you smile
The only thing worse than fear of failure is the regret of never trying
Regret doesn’t fix the past, but it can prevent future mistakes
The only regrets I have are for the things I didn’t do
To live a life without regret, follow your heart
Regret is a reminder that every choice matters
At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets — Steve Maraboli
Moving Beyond Regret with These Quotes
The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing — Henry Ford
Our regrets are the scars of missed opportunities
Regret is a waste of time. It’s the past crippling you in the present
Regret is like a poison that slowly destroys the soul
I regret the things I didn’t do, not the mistakes I made
You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one
Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it — Katherine Mansfield
The pain of regret is far worse than the pain of discipline
Don’t regret your mistakes, learn from them
Regret is what you should fear the most
Sometimes, you will regret the things you didn’t say
Don’t let regret steal your happiness
The only regrets in life are the risks you didn’t take
Regret is like a shadow that follows us, but we choose whether to let it define us
The past cannot be changed, forgotten, or erased. It can only be accepted
Regret can either paralyze you or propel you forward; the choice is yours
Regret is a short word, but it reaches far
A life lived with regret is a life unlived
The only way to avoid regret is to live each day as if it were your last
Life is too short for regrets
How Regret Can Teach Us—Find Out Here
Regret is not what you did, but what you didn’t do
I never regret anything. Because every little detail of your life is what made you into who you are in the end
Don’t look back in regret, look forward with hope
The regrets of the past should not cloud the opportunities of the future
One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself — Shannon L. Alder
Regret doesn’t change the past. It only ruins the present
Regret is the voice in the back of your mind that reminds you to do better next time
It is better to regret something you did than something you didn’t do
Regrets are a waste of time. They’re the past crippling you in the present
Don’t live your life regretting yesterday. Live your life so tomorrow you won’t regret today
Regret is the price we pay for our choices, but we choose whether to dwell in it
In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take
Don’t allow regret to hold you back from living your best life
Regret is an inevitable part of life, but how we handle it is what matters
We all have regrets, but dwelling on them only prevents us from moving forward
Your biggest regrets will come from the risks you didn’t take
The biggest regrets in life are not about what we did, but what we didn’t do
You can never change the past, but you can avoid regret by acting now
No regrets, just lessons learned along the way
A life of regret is no life at all