living our best life – regret

/ simplywendi
trees surrounded by water during foggy day

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

 

Thinking about regrets, it is my guess that every person on this Earth could verbalize at least one thing they wished they had or had not done.  It is also my belief that having regrets in life is just part of being human.  We live, we learn, and if we never had a regret then I am not sure we would be truly living and/or learning.  We make the very best decision we can at the time and hope and pray for the best.

Now we know we can’t go back to re-create our past, but we can think about our future selves.  So my question for you today is, “What is something you will regret if you do not complete/accomplish/do in your lifetime?”

 

~ Thank you so very much for taking the time to visit and comment.  Your presence here is a blessing to me and so many others.  

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116 thoughts on “living our best life – regret”

  2. Such an important question and self-reflection, thank you dear Wendy. My own life has witness so many ups and downs in health and finances, family relationships, jobs and friendships—and I come finally to the realization ther is only Love. If I can hold fast to this simple reality, try to embody its essence and unfold its sweetness to people in my life and those I encounter, then I will have truly lived. Blessings and much love to you *willows in mist**yellow daffodils**children dancing*

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  3. Nice picture, Wendi. There are numerous regrets, of course, but I feel proud of what I’ve done because others like and respect me for it. Before this rare form of MS and the spinal cord injury that it spawned I was a very good photographer. I’d like to get some of that back. To that end, I bought a camera very similar to my first one that is small, quiet, thankfully not expensive, and good for street photography. Now if I ever went anywhere… – George

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  5. I am planning to host a Ladies Retreat near the end of June. As the time draws near, I feel my anxiety rise. I would deeply regret if I allowed my anxiety to get in the way of whatever message(s) God wants for those ladies through me. I also want to live with a clean heart up until then, so that I don’t regard sin in my heart, and let that mar God’s message.
    That is a small picture of how I want to live. It’s a hard thing to die to self every day. But I want the rewards. God blesses obedience, and I want the blessings. So I choose to live for Him. I will regret all the times I disobeyed and missed the blessings.

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  6. Good post, Wendi. I know I have regrets that I didn’t ask my father more questions when he was alive. I have a book in progress – will I regret it if I don’t complete it – likely not. Regrets have more to do with people and relationships to me.

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  7. Yes Wendi, regrets are most certainly a part of being human…then…but once my fears were understood I have no regrets now because I realise that if I hadn’t done ‘whatever’ in the past, I would not be who I am now. But I WILL remember what it meant to me.
    And so henceforth I have no regrets of anything I may not ‘accomplish’ in the future because I know I will go through, good or bad, whatever I attempt to further become that person.
    Now I know that may sound a bit callous or off handed…but…when your fears are understood and released…you accept yourself for exactly as you are, no longer fearfully projecting the ‘can I, should I, would have’s and if’s,’ in my life. It is in that final acceptance of ourselves that those regrets in all its forms disappear. The guilt’s also disappear for they too have served their purpose. We will finally see that those emotions and the events that transpired has guided us inward to find that lost soul that has tearfully lashed out in life trying to find that love and happiness we always seek. Once found and understood, and like anything else we finally find after losing it, we no longer stress or worry about it anymore. We are finally, totally in acceptance…and finally at peace with ourselves 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋
    P.S. I may regret not tasting all the chocolates ever made…ok, ok…maybe there’s a little bit of fear still tucked in a corner somewhere 😂 🤣

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    • thank you so very much Mark for always taking the time to leave such amazing comments. I think it is so wonderful that you have no regrets, this must feel absolutely amazing. I LOVE that you live in peace, without guilt or regret……….this is awesome. Thank you so very much again for taking the time to leave such a wonderful response.

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  8. One thing I’ve lived by … if I’d regret not doing this before I die I race off and do it asap!

    An advantage of working in hospices and knowing death can come any time … I’ve lived a full and wondrous life and when obstacles arise there is always a reason. So being flexible is also essential 🙂

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  9. Hi , it is hard not to have regrets. But, I always say I did what I knew at the time. And try and find peace in that.

    As for regretting to fail to something now and regret in the future. Well, not much. I know that I can be lazy and I have to constantly get into gear. I will only regret what I am too lazy to do.

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  13. Having a reflective mindset is essential, I believe. This helps us to realise that our choices have consequences. I have had “regrets” about not doing the thing that was easy and had short term value. But reflecting on the potential outcomes, I realise that I made good decisions. This is a great reflection to help start off a productive week.

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  18. You always ask wonderful questions. For me, regret is not a place I’ve ever visited. I make decision, and live with where it takes the heart. At this point in life, there’s nothing I feel still needs to be achieved… for myself. My heart is in full serving mode; God, family, those in need. Completing what He needs from my heart, will be my lifetime lived well. God bless your heart, for challenging hearts… to live there best life!🙏🏽

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  19. Watching my mother die at a young age convinced me to live my own life to the fullest. That meant taking risks, suffering through failures but I wouldn’t change my experiences for anything else in this world. I don’t want to lie in my death bed, as my mother did, not experiencing life and regretting what I should have done.
    Nice post.

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    • Oh Cindi, this must have been such a tramatic experience that I am sure affects you to this day. I am very sorry you had to go through it. I am so happy that you have done what you have wanted to do…….such a blessing! 🙂 Thank you so very much for sharing your experience. I hope today is treating you well!

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  20. Pingback: Living our best life- Regret – Keep it alive

  21. My heart hurts just thinking of this topic. I often think of the things I regret not doing rather than the things I’ve done (with the exception of a couple of things). There are too many instances of where I’ll regret not doing things so I don’t know if I could name just one. Perhaps a more simple regret would be never writing a book. I’ve wanted to for years but never have and it’s something I don’t feel I ever will do either because I know it would be awful so I haven’t started. It’s a simple regret but it holds weight for the associated disappointment to it I guess. What about you..? xx

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    • Caz, I am here to tell you……….write the book! I mean, I feel very, very strongly about you writing this book………I promise it will NOT be bad, it will good and we don’t want to keep your book from those of us who would get to enjoy your writing.
      You’ve got this, I promise…………please just start……….5 or 10 minutes………start, this is the most difficult part, other than editing!!!! 🙂 🙂

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  22. Regret is a heavy load to carry through life. I finally matured enough to look and see if this hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have that. Sometimes something very precious costs us something else. I’ve let go of regrets in favor of gratitude for what I do have instead. I think it was a fair trade. Now I have no regrets. I do what I can each day to make it count. No more is asked of me. I still want to get my story written for my children before I go and really must stop procrastinating. It’s moving to the top of the list. Thanks, Wendi and have a glorious day.

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    • What a BEAUTIFUL response!!! 🙂 I love that you have switched from regret to gratitude, such an awesome and healthy mind switch! I so appreciate the way to view life and all that you do to create beauty in your life and others. Thank you so very much for sharing……

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  24. I think I would have answered this differently some years ago, when I felt like my chronic illness robbed me of everything. It took me a while to realize I already accomplished the most important things, like better mental health, a happy, healthy relationship and helping to raise a stepson I’m immensely proud of and grateful to have in my life. All the rest is no longer worth my tears. Thanks for posing tge question, Wendi. I was a little surprised by my own answer and it’s nice to realize how little I regret!

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    • oh Michelle, I am so very happy that you stopped by, thank you! 🙂 I am SO happy that you no longer have any regrets………what a wonderful peaceful feeling and I am thrilled that you shared this with us. Your stepson is a very lucky young man to have someone so devoted in his corner. I hope today is treating you well! 🙂

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  25. There are things in the past that I wish I had done differently. But, for the future, taking care of mom made me realise that if I want to to do something, do it. Don’t save things for a rainy day, enjoy them now. I do hope I can get mom’s house sold and her stuff taken care of, but really, the thing that matters the most isn’t that I’m always alone, it is how many books can I read in all that alone time!?!

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  26. I agree with some of the earlier comments that if I had done things differently I would have missed the rewards that came along. I think God never wastes a thing, and regret means we fail to see the gifts He has given us in those situations we wish we had handled differently.

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  27. Thank you for sharing!!.. as my world is in a constant state of change and I can only play the cards I were dealt with, I have no regrets to speak of… just venturing down the highway of life following my heart and being me… 🙂

    “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
    ( Maria Robinson )

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  28. Well said Wendi…. Life can be full of them… and I have had a few over the years…but your question asks what would I regret if not completed?? I guess I have always promised myself to write a book.. I have halfheartedly made two attempts and got to chapter four…Then scrapped it, deleted it… LOL… Maybe third time I start it will come together… 🙂

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  29. Hi Wendi, right away I know this answer. Writing the first book because I believe there are several inside of my soul. But even saying that … I need to put this into action. I am in a place of study and prayer, hoping to propel my soul back to the book. Thank you for calling us to task with your thought-provoking questions. I pray your body is stronger today than it was yesterday, sister. Love in Christ, Julie

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  30. Dear Wendy, I read and pondered over your question about regret. Then, I was not sure I truly knew the meaning. I looked in the dictionary. This is what I found: “Regret is a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over an occurrence or something that one has done or failed to do”. The last time I had a deep regret was in 1986. I was an atheist until then. I was 32 years old, happily married with two children. I was a medical doctor. I made money and had fame. But suddenly, a blanket of sadness came over me. There was a feeling of emptiness, loss, disappointment with my life and my (so called great) achievements. I tried to shake off this sadness but I failed to do it. This depression forced me to seek God. On March 12th, 1986, for the first time in my life I prayed. I asked God to come down from heaven into my life. Less than a month later, the Holy Spirit filled me to overflow. I became a new creature, born again, a child of God! A sudden regret gripped me that I have waisted so many years pursuing shadows. I have never opened a Bible before that time. I decided to make the Bible my best friend. I read it day and night. I prayed. I fasted. Little by little, by the grace of God, I started growing and producing spiritual fruits for people to see and taste. I now have peace! To God be all the glory! Jesus is Lord!

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  31. The problem with having regrets about your life’s decisions, Wendi, is that you don’t know how a different decision would change the good things in your present. Imagine if I didn’t have my boys or my parents or my sisters, husband and other family members.

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