Regret: 5 Things To Avoid.
There is an old quote from John Greenleaf Whittier that reads, “Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been’.” This phrase speaks so honestly of regret.
Regret is something that we all fear in life. It is the basis for our choices and our lack thereof. Regret is what pushes us forward, and often what holds us back.
Sadly, regret cannot be completely avoided. There will always be those words we wish we had said, and those things that we wish we had done. Regret is a part of being human. However, living in the moment and doing what feels right can help to minimize the amount of regret you end up feeling.
There are always going to be some things that cause regret. The list below discusses five very important things that you should avoid in order to live a happier, more fulfilling life with a little less regret.
5 Things You Are Guaranteed To Regret and Should Avoid
While regret will stem from different things and differ for each individual, there are some things that seem to be universal causes of regret in life. Here we list five things that can cause regret and discuss what you can do to minimize their impact on your life.
Waiting for the perfect moment can cause regret:
When you are constantly waiting for the perfect moment to do something you will usually find that moment never comes. We live in this mentality that we will be happy ‘if’ or we will be happy ‘when’ but when does it end?
If an opportunity presents itself, just do it!
Unfortunately, the perfect moment tends to get lost in time, and before you know it your chance has passed.
Not believing in yourself is a real problem:
Give yourself the credit you deserve to know that you are strong enough to let go and worth enough to have more. One of the biggest causes of regret in life will come from settling for less than you deserve, or not having the faith in yourself to go out and achieve your dreams. Life is never going to be easy and you will make mistakes, but they only become regrets if you choose not to learn from them and try again.
Living someone else’s idea of your dream is no dream at all:
It can be difficult to admit your dreams to others. There will always be people who disagree with what you want in life, or what your goals are. If you allow other people to outline your life for you then you are never going to be truly happy. Do not base your decisions on what other people want or expect from you. Do what makes you happy, do what feels right for you. Those that love you will understand.
Allowing others to affect your happiness is sure to lead to regret:
Negativity breeds negativity.. This is a fact. If you allow people’s negative attitudes to affect your emotions you will end up stuck in a cycle that is difficult to get out of. If there are people in your life who drain you, people who bring you down, let them go. This is not something that is easy to accomplish but it sure beats the alternative, which is never being completely happy with yourself and having regrets because someone else holds you back.
Hiding who you are behind an unrealistic image will get you nowhere:
Peer pressure. It is one of those subjects that were discussed in school as a way to discourage drug use and promiscuity, but the truth is that peer pressure is a constant battle throughout life. Too often people hide behind a mask, never showing who they truly are because they fear judgment. It is not easy to stray from the crowd, to live life on your own terms, but it is more than worth it. If you hide yourself and your dreams behind a cloak because you are afraid, you are never going to accomplish the things you desire and no one is ever going to see the true potential or person, you hold within.
You can live a meaningful life without much regret:
The examples in this article are common and haunt many people. These mistakes cause deep regret and thoughts of ‘what might have been’. Although they may appear to be very different from one another, they are very similar as well. Each of the regrets above stems from people forgetting one basic rule; you need to do what is right for you if you truly hope to be happy.
The truth is, you will never be completely free from regret but if you make your choices based on what you feel is best for your life, then you may have a little less to regret in the future and a lot more memories.
Until Next Time,
Live a full and happy life with little regret.
What do you regret most in life? How have you worked to let that regret go so that you can be happy?
Share your thoughts in the comments section!
About The Author
Katherine D
Here at inspiredeverymoment.com we believe that inspiration is the best motivation for success. Our aim is to educate, motivate, and inspire others to live the best life possible. Trained and educated to help others navigate the complex world we live in.