Ponderings (February 2007) - “REGRET”

According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary …

Regret is “to mourn the loss or death of; to miss very much; to be very sorry for”

Sharing my thoughts …

I recently celebrated my 48^th birthday.  Ever since my early 20’s a driving force for me has been envisioning the end of my life.  As I get older this force grows even stronger.  I don’t want to look back and say, “If only I had …” with a heavy heart filled with regret.  My fear of regret has been a huge factor in the decisions I’ve made in my life.  For example, it’s the reason I took banjo lessons, quit my first job to travel across country (much to my father’s chagrin), started TeamWorx, invested in a hybrid car, spontaneously bought a second hand RV to travel the country with my husband and son; the list goes on and on.  Whenever I sift decisions through this filter it immediately puts things into perspective.  Try it!  The next time you’re faced with a major decision, ask yourself, “How will I view this decision when I’m at the end of my life?  Will it be something I’m grateful for or something I regret?”

Questions to ponder …

1. What are your “if only” beliefs? 
2. What has been your biggest regret?
3. What lessons have you learned from your regrets?
4. What is your pattern in the things you regret most?
5. How much energy do you waste in regretting the past?
6. When has regret kept you from moving forward with your life?
7. Picture yourself at the end of your life.  What regrets will you have?
8. What can you do now so the “end of life” regrets won’t come to pass?
9. How can you turn regret into a catalyst for positive change in your life?
10. What action can you take today to remove an “if only” thought from your mind?

Related quotes …

When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.  [Alexander Graham Bell]

I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.  [Lucille Ball]

There are no regrets in life, just lessons.  [Jennifer Aniston]

“If only.”  Those must be the two saddest words in the world.  [Mercedes Lackey]

Regret for time wasted can become a power for good in the time that remains, if we will only stop the waste, and the idle, useless regretting.  [Arthur Brisbane]