This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure here.
What Are The Things You Wouldn’t Want To Regret In Life And How You Can Avoid Those Mistakes
“If only…..” How many times have you said those two words? A sad expression, uttered when it is too late. To avoid situations you wouldn’t want to regret, go through this list and commit yourself to be the best person you can be.
Live the best life you can, without regret.
Growing up, we travelled a lot, moved a lot and could meet lots of different people from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures.
Ask yourself these questions….
Many times I have spoken to people who have lost loved ones, had broken friendships and relationships. Every single time someone would reminisce on someone who had passed, or they had not seen for ages, the words “if only” were spoken. Feelings of losing out, loss, regret, and sadness.
We live our lives forgetting to live in the now and the present.
Do you forget to live your life as your authentic self versus your fictional self?
Do you put on a front so that people will not see the real you? It is time to take your mask off and live the best life you can.
Be responsible for your own happiness and choices, so you can avoid things you wouldn’t want to regret later on.
7 Things You Wouldn’t Want To Regret
1. Not Being Happy
I write a lot about acknowledging responsibility for your actions and choices. You choose the action, you choose the consequence, be it good or bad.
No one controls you or your emotions. It is your right to be happy. When you learn that happiness is a choice, the curve balls and obstacles life throws your way will be more of a challenge. It will no longer be something that will turn your life upside down.
You choose how you process and react to situations. When you do so, the positive self-talk which will make you happier, healthier and more fulfilled.
I spent so many years doing things to please others. To make others happy while dwelling in my unhappiness. When I changed that, it affected a lot of my relationships. Some got worse because “I have changed”.
No longer was I the person who had stood by and done everything people wanted, but now was the “different Sheri.”
All the good I had done, went out the window. Forgotten.
Do you have a friend who you dread sharing good news with because you know he or she will find a negative spin to put on it? Wanting to negate your happiness?
No Excuses
No matter how flat you make a pancake it has two sides right? Well, making myself happy also improved some of my relationships. I had a backbone and could discern between what I wanted and didn’t want in my life. Who I wanted to stay, and those that needed to go. As hard and painful as it was, it was also very liberating!
Don’t make excuses for miserable people, they manage to find the bad in any good you throw their way.
Miserable and angry people don’t like themselves very much, but their egos still force them to hold themselves in the highest regard. Their egos are enormous, gigantic!
The more negative people get, the more you can fill your heart with happiness knowing you’re not like that.
Happiness is a choice. The sooner you learn that, the better. You wouldn’t want to regret not giving yourself the chance to live a happy and wonderful life.
“If we want to be happy, we have to actively pursue happiness.”Click To Tweet
2. You Will Regret Wearing A Mask, Just Be You
A lot of you (including me), spend too much time concentrating on the way other people perceive you. What they say, what they think. You might even have fear of being judged by others. You need to stop. It is so irrelevant to your future, success, motivation, and dreams. What they say won’t matter today, tomorrow, next week, or even in five years.
Why spend time worrying about it and allowing their perception of you to impact your life? This will only lead to insecurities.
Again, I have done this for way too long. I wish someone would have given me this advice straight out of high school.
I would have saved myself a whole lot of tears, worry, anxiety, and sleepless nights. Anxiety is one of those feelings that can take control of your life it gets out of control. You wouldn’t want to regret not being the real you and being true to yourself. Lots of what matters now, won’t matter later on.
One of life’s greatest freedoms is genuinely not caring about what other people think about you. People will talk whether you do good or bad. Real and true happiness is found within yourself. Be who you are, live your truth.
We all have several versions of ourselves. Who we are when we are with friends, family or colleagues. There are certain things we feel we can do or say, what is “appropriate” when among various people.
Over the years I have struggled with conforming to what is deemed “the right way” and living my own truth. Have you ever felt as though you needed to be someone you are not just to fit in?
Eat what you want, dress how you please, live your life. Don’t ever let anyone dictate to you what they think should be doing with your life. That’s why you have your life, and they have theirs.
“Stop displeasing yourself in order to please others.”Click To Tweet
3. Not Expressing Your True Feelings
I often find it hard to express my true feelings. This happens when I am afraid of hurting someone’s feelings or fear of disappointing them. Do you struggle with the same?
At the end of the day, not expressing your true feelings benefits no one.
Being open and honest has gotten me into a lot of trouble. It has pissed people off, made people angry and hurt some relationships. I do not regret it because I need to stay true to myself and so do you.
If you have someone in your life who only loves you when you express the same opinions as they do, or are only there to listen when you agree with everything they say, cut this person out of your life. It may not be easy, but it is very necessary.
The person is toxic for your emotional health. This falls in the same box as keeping negative company or being around people who pull you down.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up and want the best for you. Even if they may not always like what you do or say.
4. Giving Up
Have you ever considered giving up on your dreams because someone said they thought it was wrong for you?
Or even worse, that you would never achieve it? In our core, we know what we want in life. Fear of failure may stop us from reaching our dreams and goals.
Never should you let someone else create your dreams for you. You will never be happy. Happiness and success are not the same things. In order to be happy, you must be doing something you love and leaves you feeling fulfilled.
Walk your own path and discover what your passion is, what you are good at, then go for it.
A little bit of history……
I have always loved writing, and almost two years ago, I decided to create my blog and website. It is so therapeutic for me. I am very much an empath so I often find myself wanting to share my experiences in the hope of helping others. The feedback and comments I have received with writing this blog truly warms my heart.
Two months after starting, I almost gave up. Wrong host, too many things to learn and it was all so overwhelming. I had given up on too many things I had started in the past, and really loved doing this, so I made a commitment to myself to continue on for as long as it made me happy.
So stop wondering why other people are making their dreams come true.
Don’t sit back and wait for things to happen to you. Take action and make them happen for you.
Obstacles set in your path should be seen as a challenge to get to the next level. See it as a game you are playing. You want to win and you will if you stay motivated and committed.
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Click To Tweet
5. Settling For Less
YIKES! Boy have I done this way too many times in life.
When you feel you are not good enough, your self-esteem and self-confidence is low and you feel you are not worth it, you tend to settle for less. This is a big thing you wouldn’t want to regret later on in life.
Life can put you into situations where you’re no longer surprised, shocked, or disappointed if someone leaves you, hurts you, degrades you, and makes you feel unworthy.
You get used to it and believe that it is the card that life has dealt you. It really isn’t. There is so much you can do to change it. Settling for less means not being truly happy, missing out on great opportunities that life has sent your way. You deserve so much more. Have patience and never settle for less. One of the things you wouldn’t want to regret in life is not having the best of the best.
You are a person of high value so you should expect only the best from yourself and the people around you. Get yourself a simple chalkboard and write down the things you are happy about. Settling is one of the worst ways to live your life, and you wouldn’t want to regret it. Set a high standard for who you associate with. Let life happen. Don’t settle. Ever.
“ Let go of the old to make way for the new.”Click To Tweet
6. Working Too Hard
Yes, we need to work in order to make money. Money that will keep a roof over our heads, money that will take care of our families and pay our bills.
Money that will keep of from going hungry, as well as affording us the things we desire in life. Without work how do you earn that money? You don’t.
You know what’s also great? Having to never worry about money.
Oh, wouldn’t we all like that! Some of you may own a business, or work at a crappy job. Or even work two crappy jobs to get your bills paid. I get that. It is not easy.
Shame there isn’t a money tree we could just plant in our backyard and whenever we needed some, we could just pick it off the tree.
Overworking yourself and running yourself into the ground will only make you weak and tired. All the money on the planet can never make up for lost time with your loved ones. None of that will matter when you are on your deathbed.
Spending time with family, watching your kids grow, going on holiday, making memories and sharing them.
Those are the things that will fill your heart with joy. Those are the things you should make time for.
After maternity leave, I returned to work at 30 hours a week. I love it. It gives me that extra bit of time in the morning, as well as returning home not too late, giving us some more time to spend together in the evenings.
You may love your job and might even be saving the planet doing whatever it is you do. Saving mankind by bringing peace on earth. Just don’t let it cost you the time with your family. You wouldn’t want to regret that when the time comes to say goodbye.
Last, but most certainly not least……
7. Taking Life For Granted
Guilty. We have all taken life for granted. Not savouring and cherishing the moments of today. After all, there is tomorrow, right? Well, that’s the problem. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
As a first-time mom, I have learned to live in today! Those moments with my little one, the kisses, and cuddles, the milestones and triumphs are so amazing. I care less about orange juice spilled on the sofa, finding popcorn in my handbag, a lollipop stuck to my scarf when I put it on in the morning.
Now I just laugh about it. Sure, I would love my house to be clean and uncluttered, but isn’t the fact that I have this miracle of a child so much more worth it?
Gratitude Is So Important…….
There is so much to be grateful for in life. Every morning and every night, I am sure there is something in the day you can find to be thankful for.
Having a bad day? Remember it is just that. A bad day and not a bad life. You wouldn’t want to regret not cherishing the precious times would you?
Some people right now are wondering where they will get their next meal to eat, wondering where they will lay their head to sleep tonight. Have no friends or family and are alone in this world. All the wonderful things we may take for granted, someone else is wishing and praying for.
You Should Always Maintain An Attitude Of Gratitude
Embrace and attitude of gratitude and watch your mindset shift. You will allow abundance and love into your life, and the universe will reward you with so much. Appreciate the little things too.
If there is anything in your life you do not like, or makes you unhappy, have the courage to change it. It is a process and you can do it.
Believe in yourself and be committed to making the changes that will allow you. Trust your gut and your intuition. Listen to your heart, it knows the way.
Did you not tell someone that you loved him/her? Did you not tell someone how much you appreciate them? Are you afraid of taking risks because your true fear is failure?
What have you passed up on doing that you feel you might later regret in life?
What are the things you wouldn’t want to regret, or already do?
Share with me in the comments section below.
40 comments
I am guilty of so many of these. Especially not showing my true feelings and settling for less than I should. Since I have become a mom I have been trying to live more in the moment and with less regrets! Great post!
“Not giving up!!!” I think giving up on things will be the last things that I will do. I am persisted and would always work out on things thats close to my heart.
I agree especially on item number 1. I just wanted to spend the rest of mylife enjoying every moment and everything that I do
Life is indeed a precious gift and one needs to make the best use of it. The points that you make are so true.Time creeps quietly by and there should be no regrets later. The best way to live life is to enjoy each and every moment as if it were the last.
Truer words have never been spoken! We are constantly comparing ourselves to others and we need to stop doing that. And stop waiting until the right time to do anything! Just do it now! And getting rid of the people and things in your life that do not make you happy!
live and enjoy every moments …take out some time for yourself .Don’t take things for granted.
I absolutely loved this post and shared on my Pinterest! I definitely agree with so many of these and I think no one should live with regrets in their life and people definitely should not spend their entire lives making others happy and not themselves
Helen xx
And can the church say amen! Definitely struggled with settling for less but happy to have overcome that hurdle. At least for now, you know, life and suh.
You make some really great points here. For me, I’ve been working on not taking things for granted, especially my loved ones. It’s so easy to do that, but they’re the ones that deserve the most appreciation.
I can relate to every single point on this list! Especially wearing a mask! I hid so much for so long that I made it almost impossible to get help bc people always assumed I had everything figured out! Blogging, sharing my struggles and my stories have definitely helped me to find a healthy balance! Great post!
I totally agree with “not being happy.” Why go through life being miserable. Granted there are times that I have been unhappy but I try not to let it linger. Life is far too short.
the points you have explained in your blog will help in changing everyone life we must live our life in positive and should be happy in all conditions. π
After reading this I noticed that there are some things on here that I regret. I do regret settling for less and not expressing my true self. I am in the process of taking my mask off and letting the real me show. I loved this post! It is very inspirational.
Thanks for this post. Sometimes I need a reminder to not settle and to not give up. This was that for me,
I wonder whether empaths make better bloggers or most bloggers are empaths!Excellent lessons to remember.Do what you love and what pays .That keeps me happy.
One thing that we have understand in life is not take life for granted especially my husband who lost his parents in cancer. We have seen how life can end suddently.
For that reason my husband is working less but gain less money aswell but that doesnt matter because we will spend less aswell but what we have is more time with each other and more time to enjoying life!
This quote When you learn that happiness is a choice, the curve balls and obstacles life throws your way will be more of a challenge. It will no longer be something that will turn your life upside down’ stuck out to me the most because I agree. Happiness is not inherited instead happiness is choosing to live our lives and making time for the things that make us happy x
So true all those seven facts! I am a positive person and have decided to try after failures over and over again and not giving up. Let’s see how long it takes, but i want to do things that make me happy. I’m not always sensible but i think it’s more important to follow your heart.
I really like this post. I think it is important and we owe it ourselves to be open and honest in expressing our feelings.
About settling for less… I’ve learned that sometimes a ‘lower’ goal is easier to achieve and then gives a lot of joy too! But you should still be happy with what you’re settling for.
Great post! My solution is live for the moment and dont miss any opportunities. I agree that we should be careful overworking and find more time for ourselves.
xoxo,
Gabi
For the longest time I suffered from the Disease to Please. Somewhere around 40 I decided something had to give and it certainly wasn’t going to be me. I stopped saying yes to everything and no to all of the things that weren’t serving me anymore. I can’t tell you what a difference it’s made. x
Thank you for this post. I am guilty of working too hard. I worry about the future and I do not want to be caught off guard if I dilly-dally with making a living. I know we must work to make a living, but I think I should now start to draw the line when work becomes too much to take over my entire life.
Great post and yes i can relate with most of it, especially no.3 xo
All these are so true! I’m guilty of a couple of them and need to really focus on what’s important.
Great post Sheri, I can truly relate to some of the things you listed. Working too hard, and wish not to worry much about everyday – Sometimes, taking life for granted. This is a good call – we only live once, and this write up is inspiring.
Such a beautiful article! I would agree more with the last one tip, taking life for granted is the worst mistake we ever do. W never have enough time, at least we never know what tomorrow brings, so let’s cherish every moment, lets live life to the fullest.
Well, I’d have to agree with all of these.
Taking life for granted in my early twenties has caused me to waste my time instead of focusing more on what was truly important to me. Then again, giving up too fast is also one that sound familiar… I think it’s important to find something that you love and keep going and just stay trues to yourself.
Tadeja
I think we are all guilty of doing all of these at least once in our lives. I know I am! My favorite was the quote “You do not find the happy life, you make it” So True!!
I love this post, sometimes expressing myself is hard. People tells me I am too honest lol. I have been trying on or working on being true to myself and if people doesnβt like it, I just have to suck it up.
Not settling for less is so important. You’ve only got one life, make the most of it! Love all these points, really inspirational π
Such nice words of advice. Thank you! I am so guilty of working too hard making me forget to live in the now. I am so focused on thinking about our future and it just makes me more and more eager to work hard. Thanks for reminding me of what really matters most.
Such an inspiring post! I can definitely relate to the first two, but at least they’re something I’m aware of and working on π Keep up the amazing posts!
I can relate so much to this post, dear. Loved it!! I am trying every day to live that kind of life with no regrets and so far I am doing great. A year ago, I’ve decided to live a more happier life, to be more content, to put myself first… I let go of a toxic people in my life, I let go of a boy who took me for granted… and now.. I am truly enjoying life. I found the one who I love and who loves me for who I am, I am doing things that I love.. Happiness is a choice indeed. Thanks for sharing this post – again, I loved it!
Love how this post combines all the little details from loving yourself to being true to yourself π great post once again, serious food for thought π
Wow there is so much wisdom in this post! I never considered a friend who always agreed with me to be toxic, I just thought they wanted me to feel supported no matter what decision I am making. I am definitely also guilty of working too hard, and getting irritated because others don’t work so hard. I eventually learned that overworking myself was harming my health and happiness in such ways that the extra cash could not fix it.
Hi June, thank you for the feedback and sharing with me your experiences. I think you misunderstood something from the post. What i was saying is, if a friend only likes you when you agree with them, but don’t want to be friends when you have a different opinion, then that person is toxic. This is completely different to a friend that supports you and loves you. Did I explain it better now? xoxox
Great tips π I struggle with expressing my true feelings but itβs definitely something Iβve been trying to work on
Never have regrets! I live by that!
After reading this blog I will surely bring out the best of my positive side and will live to the fullest. Thanks for the inspiration.