How can I accept that I would have chosen differently in the past if I knew what I know now? Ask Dr. Julie Hanks

In this episode I meet with Lianne and answer the question, “How can I accept that I would have chosen differently in the past if I knew what I know now?” Lianne is getting ready to re-enter the workforce now that her youngest is in daycare, and she wishes that she had gotten her master’s degree before becoming a full-time mom.

I advise Lianne to find compassion for the young woman she was when she made the decision to not pursue her master’s degree. I also invite her to grieve. It’s okay to wish things were different and to feel sad about it. We discuss how it is possible to have gratitude for her life now and to feel sad that she didn’t get her master’s degree before she had children. One feeling does not negate the other.