I've gone through this recently, even though high school was a long time ago for me.

I was recently contacted on Facebook by someone I had not heard from for 50 years. As we talked about HS, I came to learn that something I did, which hurt her, actually had more serious implications than I could have known about at the time.

Yes, I felt guilty. What helped was continued conversation with her -- on social media, in email, and on the phone. She has no ill feelings toward me, and she has helped me to stop beating on myself about it.

I now realize that if we continue to feel bad about what we did back then, and nothing the other person says can change that, then we are showing disrespect for that person in a new way -- we are not allowing them to have grown since HS, in our minds. We keep sticking them in the past. They are not in the past though; we need to accept who they have become, and not hold onto who they were.

Self-forgiveness can be very difficult. I do hope you can find it someday!

This is a tough one. Like most people, I am very hard on myself for past mistakes. For me, I realize that I am the only one in my corner and I must be my own best advocate or else the world will run me over. When I think about that, I give myself a break because I am awesome.

We've all made bad decisions. We're human. If those that you hurt can forgive you, then they understand that. Being hard on yourself means that you have a kind heart, making you a good person 😃

Your friends forgave you, so you must've made amends. Guilt and regret are useless emotions. You can't change the past, but you can be a better person in the future.
Forgive yourself and move on. You have so much life left to live.

since they have forgiven you - you need to accept that for a while you were not your best version of yourself.

it's an icky realization - but once you accept that you don't want to be that way any more you can just keep those memories as a warning

and get on with being a better you

It's better to dwell on your future and what you can change than to stare at a fate that's been written

We all make mistakes, but if we learn from them then we're making progress and becoming better people

That has probably been my biggest struggle over the past few years.

Relatable. I only wish i knew how to do it.

I’m very much the same way

Pray

Stop dwelling on it. Everything you do today makes you who you become tomorrow

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