What IFs

Life is full of choices.  Every day we are constantly faced with countless decisions that we have to make; from the time we wake up in the morning to the time that we go to bed at night.  We have to decide what kind of clothes we want to wear for the day or not to wear anything at all.  Then we have to decide what we want to eat for breakfast (if you wake up late, then you have to think of what to eat for lunch).  This pattern continues throughout the whole day.  With every decision that we make and every action that we carry out, there are consequences which can be seen or unforeseen and that are immediate or far off in the future.  Often times, we don't give much thought to them since those are unimportant and/or irrelevant and so can be ignored.  

There are various choices that are more significant, either considered so at the time or in retrospect, that it leaves us with a linger question of what if no matter what we have decided upon.  It is with those kind of choices that seems to haunt me the most.  I tend to over analyze the situation and think too much about all the other available options and possible outcomes associated with each option.  I know that not everything will turn out as planned or expected.  I know that sometimes the many paths that you choose will end up at the same destination.  Even though I keep these things in mind, the what ifs still constantly pops up in my mind.  It is like an annoying alarm that won't seem to shut off.  

So how do I turn off such a nuisance?  I really don't have a clear answer for this question.  I guess all I can really do is accept that which has already been decided.  You can't live life by dwelling on the past.  The past is the past, don't let it consume your present and future.  If the outcome wasn't the one you were looking for either set about to correcting it or learn to not repeat it again.