Regret implies dwelling on an action you wish you could change to me... guilt implies some sort of moral failing you feel ashamed of... I'm certainly not saying the things I've failed at weren't my failures - they were and most hurt at the time to some extent - what i'm saying is all the failures, successes and reactions when viewed in retrospect almost always left me in a 'better' or at least 'wiser' position... how can I regret a failure if it led to me choosing a more enjoyable future?

The one I held onto longest was fucking up exams at 18 and not being able to go to my first choice University. I ended up not going at all and getting a job. If I compare myself to friends that went though, I earn more and have vastly more security... I'm incredibly glad I 'fucked up' now despite being the son my parents thought had the most gif, because it forced me down a road less traveled.

Tbh, most of my failures are just stories to tell now. I've had so much more enjoyment telling my stories than I ever lost experiencing them.

Maybe I've just had a charmed life...