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30 Adults Share What They Regret Not Doing While They Were Young
Many people try to make the phrase "no regrets" their motto, pushing aside thoughts about the past and focusing on the future.
However, not dwelling, but reflecting on past experiences, both positive and negative, can provide valuable lessons and insights that lead to personal growth.
According to a recent survey of 2,000 adults commissioned by UK charity consortium Remember A Charity, four in ten people regret certain aspects of their lives, with spending too much time at work and not traveling being among the most common choices.
So we invite you to think about how we want to spend our time and take a look at a Reddit thread started by platform user Hassan_Wamedh that invited people to share what they wish they would've done differently when they were younger.
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#4
Spending more time with my animals. They were gone sooner than I expected and I regret every single time I complained about walking the dog or skipped a riding lesson because I was too busy moping in my room. Appreciate them while they're there, or you'll regret it forever like I do.
#7
My grandfather is Mexican, and he tried to teach me Spanish when I was young, but I was never paying much attention. I’m trying to learn now, before I lose him.
#10
Turning down invites and opportunities to meet new people and travel to new places because I was too hung up on how I looked. I was so hard on myself. And to her I apologise.
#12
Focusing on school and going to college for something I actually want to do. I’m 34 now, and while I make like 150k a year, I find my career to be a massive waste of time. I work crazy overtime hours and travel, leading to no life. The trades aren’t all they are cracked up to me. Hopefully next year I can enroll and shoot for a masters in psychology to be a therapist. f*** sacrificing life for a check. I have no kids and I’m newly single so now is the time.
#13
Therapy. Should have started at 14 instead of 24, this would have prevented most of the dumb things I did.
#15
Ate healthily or at least with portion control. I developed bad eating habits because I was deprived of food growing up. I'm around 25 lbs heavier than my normal weight. I've always tried going on a diet but always fail.
#16
Trying too hard to keep friends when they used me and took advantage of my kindness, I've learnt that not everyone wants to be your friend and I'm okay with that!
#17
Being diagnosed with ADHD. Looking back it makes so much sense, but I was never tested. I spent years dealing with depression and anxiety over problems caused by it. H**l I dropped out of college twice.
#21
Being accepting of who I am. Throwing off the religion I grew up with and my warped attitude towards [intimacy].
#23
Wearing a condom. I love my kids more than life itself. but life itself has been a lot different and harder than I thought.
#25
Be a teenager. I was too eager to grow up and focused almost exclusively on work from 15-25 so I missed out on the whole thing.
#27
Attending prom, graduation and other high school graduate activities. I was just so depressed at the time and didn't think anyone would care if I wasn't there. Now I'll never get to experience those things.
#28
Here are a couple - make working out a hobby, take care of your skin, use Moisturizer/sunscreen, take better care of teeth, spend more time with your parents and capture those moments(photos/videos).
Reflecting on past experiences serves as a powerful tool for understanding our personal growth and development. While some may adopt the 'no regrets' motto, it's crucial to acknowledge the valuable lessons that our past teaches us. This perspective aligns with the idea that many older individuals wish they had taken more time to enjoy life's simple moments.
You can explore these reflections further in an insightful discussion on how older adults view missed opportunities.
You might also like: 49 funny photos of people just trying to survive the summer heat
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