“Would you eat day-old fries?”

That is the question my brother recently asked me.

I was confused. I mean, what a weird question, right? My first thought was that fries are best fresh. Always fresh. I told him that.

“So why would you want to go back to a situation or relationship that did not work the first time?”

He was right. Sometimes we try to go back to something or someone because we are scared of the new or because we long for the way things felt in the past. Maybe we miss the familiarity, the comfort, or the memories that seemed golden at the time. But going down a road you have already been on usually just wastes time.

Memories are great, but they are not sustainable. If you are anything like me, you tend to romanticize things. That ex who could have been different, the job that felt right before, or even a friendship that went sideways. We remember the best moments and conveniently forget the rest.

Here is the hard truth. What did not work once probably will not work the second time. Not because you are broken, but because the circumstances, people, and energy involved rarely change. Life does not hand out second chances on a silver platter. It gives you experience, and it is up to you to learn from it.

Why We Go Back

We go back for a few reasons

• Fear of the unknown: The new feels scary. It requires effort and risk
• Comfort in familiarity: Even when the old situation did not work, at least you know it. It is predictable
• Selective memory: We romanticize the good parts and forget the red flags

All of these reasons are human and tempting. Nostalgia is a poor guide for decision-making.

Fresh Versus Day-Old

Think about those fries. Freshly made, hot, salty, perfectly crisp. Day-old, soggy, lackluster, maybe even a little gross. Relationships, jobs, and situations work the same way. Something may have been amazing at one point, but once it is gone or failed, trying to revive it usually leaves you disappointed.

It is not about bitterness. It is about honoring your growth, your boundaries, and your time. You do not have to punish yourself by reheating the past.

Moving Forward Without Regret

The best way to approach life, relationships, and opportunities is with a mindset of forward motion. Here is how I remind myself not to go back

• Value your growth: You are not the same person you were last time. Trust that the next experience should fit the current you
• Learn from the past: Take the lessons, leave the baggage
• Embrace the new: Uncertainty is where growth lives. It is messy, but it is also where excitement and real opportunity happen
• Honor your instincts: If something felt off before, pay attention. Your gut is rarely wrong

Sometimes you have to let go of the fries, even if they were once amazing. Fresh fries or fresh experiences are worth the wait.

At the end of the day, it is about trusting yourself, valuing your time, and realizing that some things are better experienced once. You get the memory, you keep the lesson, and you move forward hungry for something that is genuinely worth it.