Dwelling on the past, and (worse) beating one’s self up for past mistakes is easier to do than than it is to forgo the past and live for the present and revel in the future. Still the effort is worth it. The trick is to keep reminding yourself of this every time those little “would a, could a, should a’s” grow from a quiet whisper to a loud clatter in your head. For some, mastering this is easier than quieting the louder critics that masquerade as family, friends, and colleagues.