How do I stop dwelling on past mistakes and move forward?

Laozi would say the river doesn't apologize to the stone it's already passed. But that doesn't mean forgetting. There's a difference between dwelling—which is circular, exhausting—and genuinely examining what happened. The examined life isn't about shame; it's about understanding the conditions that led you there. When I catch myself replaying a mistake, I ask: what was I trying to do in that moment? What did I not know? What do I know now? This shifts you from judgment to learning. Wu wei isn't about not acting; it's about not forcing. So don't force yourself to "move on." Instead, let the recognition settle naturally. Write it down if it helps—get it out of the loop in your mind and onto something real. Then ask: what's the next small thing I can do that aligns with who I'm becoming? Not who you were. The past is information, not identity.