I came across this list that I found pretty interesting. Here is the list of top 10 things you could do during your 20's that you will regret in your 40's.
10. Body Piercing Plugs
9. Risque Internet Pics
8. Tattoos
7. Choosing your best friends girlfriend over your best friend.
6. Getting married too young
5. Not traveling enough
4. Not finishing school
3. Smoking
2. Bad credit
1. Not spending more time with your parents.
Linky
I would like start off by saying am not too fond of this list. First of all I think this lists covers about 10% of the population. How many people choose there best friends girl over there best friend? Or how many people have body piercings or plugs or have risque internet pictures? I agree that you may regret doing those things, I know I did, but the fact remains you would probably also regret starting a dog fighting ring, or a methanphetmine lab. I also dont think worrying about bad credit is something most 20 years should worry about, not in this day in age. Hell most people are going to die with bad credit. With that being said I think this list brings up an interesting topic. I am going to be 27 years old in a couple of months, and with a child only days away I feel like my time to make really foolish mistakes because I am young are going to have to be put behind me.
Maybe you can say doing something on this list you will regret later in life, but for the most part most of this list is something you will do once and hopefully learn from your mistakes. Experience is the most important thing in life in my opinion. I regret getting my nipple pierced, but I have a memory of the one of the best bachelor parties ever forever. What I am trying to say is experience has to be taken into account. It is unlikely you are going to regret anything that you try once and learn from, even if it has a negative effect on you in the short term. I would also say that seeing a list like this just reiterates the fact that there are so many things I still want to do. Seeing more of the world, getting married, trying my hand at running a business, I could go on and on.
I honestly dont think I have done anything in my 20's that I will regret when I am 40. I would say smoking but I regret that now. I dont need to wait 20 years to feel regretful for putting that cancer in my mouth. I could also say recreational drug use, but to be honest I had a lot of fun experimenting! Traveling more is something I plan on doing but in reality unless you do it right after school, traveling is something that you most likely need to wait until you are 40 just to be able to afford to do(both time and costs). The only regrets I can say I have are things I didnt do. I mean there are a lot of experiences that I wish I would have had but probably will never have. I wish I would have lived out of state or out of the country for a while. I wish I would have worked harder in college and taken a bit more from my degree and time there. My point is very rarely you will regret things you do, for the most part you will only regret the things you dont do.
Ok that was my little seriously post for the week, you wont see another one (unless we have the baby) for a while. Now I want to open the floor for anyone that has one of the regrets on the list, maybe a regret that isnt on the list that should be, or maybe just a post on how you think I am complete loser for thinking anyone cares about what I have to say.
2 comments:
Regrets are worthless. It's better to set positive goals for the future than to negatively regret the past.
Let's look to the fine arts for guidance.
Charles Dickens wrote, "Regrets are the natural property of gray hairs."
John Cusack's character said in The Ice Harvest, "It is futile to regret. You do one thing... you do another. I mean, so what? What's the difference? Same result." There's also the counter-comment from Oliver Platt's character, " Everybody has regrets. Guys our age... what else is there?"
Kierkegaard wrote, "I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations - one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it - you will regret both."
Of course, the one that "sings" to me is Sinatra's egotistical theme, in which he croons, "Regrets, I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention."
I like Paul Anka's lyric, made famous by Sinatra, the best. It's a little glib but it hits the point for me. You can't live a real life without some regrets, but you can't dwell on them and let them become bigger than your successes and blessings. Too few to mention.
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