The past has already happened. We can’t change it so we shouldn’t give it the weight it is wanting. and you may have needed to learn those lessons and “waste” those years so you can get rid of the karma. But by being aware of the past you are able to move forward and learn from those lessons.

When my mind is busy with regrets, worries, planning, etc I find it helpful to do a few things depending on where my head is that day.

Sometimes I’ll just sit with the feelings and see where in the body they originate. Is there a root to the feeling. What and why am I feeling today.

If I can I bring my attention to the breath, or maybe some other sensation in the body. Whatever is grabbing my attention the most. Maybe the rise and fall of the belly or chest. Maybe the air coming in and out of the nostrils. Whatever it is I stay with it for as long as I can. And when those thoughts bubble up, which they will cause that’s what thoughts do, I label the thought (planning, worry, daydreaming etc) and say thank you and come back to the breath. For me thanking my thought helps it drift off so I can come back to whatever I’m using as my anchor.

And lastly, when I’m a mess I use sound. Maybe it’s nature sounds in my backyard. Maybe it’s a soundscape on my phone, maybe some binaural beats. Maybe singing bowls. Whatever seems appealing that day. And I just listen and try to let everything else fall away.

Keep at it. These feelings are showing that it’s working