“At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets.”
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
We all have those stages in life when we regret our decisions. Lamenting about our choices is all right since we all are bound to make mistakes. However, what is the point in sitting and brooding over spilled milk? We have so many regrets about our lives – be it our careers, family feuds, financial regrets, not taking proper care of our body, parenting issues, etc. Life will be full of ups and downs, yet you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone and come out with a positive attitude every time.
We don’t mean to be preachy, but you can try your hand at these simple yet effective ways to attempt to live a regret-free life.
- Carpe Diem – Seize The Day!
Do we make the most of our day? Perhaps, it might not be easy to do when tasks and problems encircle you. But do not let your issues clog around your mind. Instead, why not open your collection of photos, go through your childhood pictures, and have a hearty laugh over them? Reminisce the good memories if you want to think about the past. Be a warrior, and fight out all your negative thoughts. Live as if there is no tomorrow. - Stop Living to Please Others
Your life is ‘your’ life. Therefore, stop living it in a way that satisfies the parameters of others, and live according to your terms. Do not let others pull the strings of your life. Remember, you cannot please everyone, hence, it is better to concentrate on yourself first. - Stop Comparing Yourself With Others
Remember this quote by Oscar Wilde – “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”. Sometimes, we tend to let jealousy seep into our hearts or often downgrade ourselves for not being up to the mark. Remember, everyone has their own internal struggles. As such, we should concentrate on performing better than ourselves, rather than comparing ourselves with others. - Embrace Your Fears
Simply face your fears with your whole heart. Do not bother about the things that do not appear to be in your favor, or if things appear shady. Then, of course, make an attempt. You might falter, but what is the fun in life if everything becomes so easy? - Stop Brooding Over the Past
Be in the present. If you’re constantly worrying about what happened in your past, it will never take you anywhere. Enjoy your present moment, for it is never going to come back. - Think About Your Wishes
What do you want? Think about your goals and decide everything you want to achieve; do not simply concentrate on the materialistic ones. Instead, think of joining a yoga class or a hobby class. - Stop Holding Grudges
Why do you want to carry all those toxic feelings in your heart? Further, if the other person has no regrets, there is no point in filling your heart with those negative memories. Move on! - Remember: ‘Tempus Fugit’ (Time Flies)
Realize that time is most precious of all. Hence, it is best to be a little thrift regarding the way you spend it. Making the most of every minute is in your hands. If you make mistakes, it is all right, because you always learn something out of it. - Travel
Travel helps you connect with new people and learn new perspectives. Traveling with your partner helps you explore new places, and gives you time to reconnect with each other. Do not defer that activity to later years or save that precious trip for after your retirement. - Retrospect
Stop being vulnerable and gullible. Instead, retrospect yourself, and think whether your way of living is satisfactory to yourself. If not, think some more, and take some action! - Respect Your Body
Do not exploit your body, and understand that a healthy body is home to a healthy mind, and vice versa. Exercise, eat right, get proper sleep, practice meditation, and positive results will follow. Unfortunately, many people regret getting addicted to drugs, not exercising, and later fall victims to diseases. - Wipe Off Negative Thoughts
Just stay blank for sometime, and let all those negative thoughts flow away. Let them find their own way out anywhere, but do not let them enter your head again. - Spend Time With Your Loved Ones
Remember that your job is not going to be with you forever, rather you’re not going to last forever. Hence, find time to spend with your loved ones. Take a day off and spend a day with your kid(s), unleash yourself, go out for a dinner date with your spouse, or simply spend time cuddling your pet! Sadly, it’s only when someone very close to us passes away that we realize something is amiss. - Do Something New
Do not forget to challenge yourself, and venture into a zone never trespassed. Pick up a new hobby, learn a new sport, or even try some philanthropic activity. - Stop Mingling With Pessimistic People
Do not let the negative approach of other people affect you. Instead, harness your potential, and make the best of everything that you have. - Take Risks
Our life is filled with ifs and buts and things we could have done. We are unwilling to take risks, and later on, regret not being experimental enough. But, even if you fail, you have the satisfaction of at least attempting. There is nothing wrong with taking reasonable risks. - Plan Your Finances
Many of us regret not planning our finances in advance. Avoid being a spendthrift or being a miser. Money has to be well-spent. However, also remember that you’re not going to carry it to your grave. Hence, it is equally essential to splurge on things you love (without having buyer’s remorse). - Relationships: Dare to Ask!
Many people regret not having the courage to have proposed to the guy/girl they loved. This is a pretty severe regret which lasts a lifetime. So muster up your courage, and do dare to ask. You may not end up being together, but it won’t be as bad as forever blaming yourself for never asking. - Career: Follow Your Passion
If your job makes you happy, you’re one of the most blessed of all. Make career moves by listening to your passion. Do not concentrate on the short-term objective. - Express Yourself
Let your voice be heard. Do not kill your thoughts and ideas. Express yourself instead of regretting later for not speaking. Of course, expressing does not mean demeaning anyone else. Just do not silence your voice and stay quiet when you need to speak for yourself.
Well, all these pointers are straightforward to understand but quite challenging to implement sometimes. Yet, life comes only once. Hence, laugh your way out, for you never know whether these precious moments will ever come back again.
