What nudges her fully into the realm of regret is the reason that alternative doesn’t exist: her own decisions and actions. She’s the cause of her own suffering. That makes regret different—and far more distressing—than a negative emotion like disappointment. For instance, I might feel disappointed that my hometown basketball team, the Washington Wizards, didn’t win the NBA championship. But because I neither coach the team nor suit up for games, I’m not responsible and therefore can’t regret it. I just sulk and wait until next season.
