No Regrets

Amanda Cohen

No Regrets

     If you want to swim with sharks, do it. If you want to learn to fly a helicopter, go ahead. Regrets will do nothing but ruin your life and make you wish you had another chance to do what you wanted. Regrets are often created by three things: fear, embarrassment and laziness.

     Let’s start with fear. How many people get to say they’ve skydived in their lives? How many people get to say they’ve climbed Mount Everest? The reality is, not many. Most of the time, this is because fear took over. It’s very common that someone will say, “Someday I’ll go on this ride,” or “One day I’m going to learn to swim”. Sometimes, people really do end up keeping their word. But most of the time people let the fear consume them and just can’t do it.

     Embarrassment is a major cause in regrets. For example, I know people who have said, “I wish I could start a flash mob and sing in the middle of the mall.” When I asked them why they didn’t just go ahead and do it, they shook their heads and said they were too embarrassed. This is a commonly used excuse used by pejople all over the world. Reality is, one day they will look at themselves in the mirror and find themselves asking, “Why didn’t I do it?” In fact, if I ever saw someone dancing in the middle of the mall with a friend, I would think, “Wow, those people are awesome.”

     Lastly, laziness is the #1 cause for regrets. Almost everyone has at one point said, “Later,” or “One day.” These words have been used do many times that they no longer mean anything to those who hear it. Why later? Why someday? Why not today? Granted, some people just don’t have the time or money for whatever dream they have. But it is a different story if the person has the opportunity offered in front of them and turns it down and says “Another time.”

     Regrets will run your life if you let them. Don’t be the one sitting in an office doing a job you hate because you turned down the one you wanted. Don’t be the one staying home on a Saturday night because you declined hanging out with friends. Be the one who climbed Mount Everest. 


Information Link: "Bucket List Ideas-1000 Things to do Before You Die" Web. 18 Jan. 2012 http://www.squidoo.com/100things