Taking Action to Minimize Regret

I had a neighbor who always said, “we’ll travel once we’re retired.” And not just travel- there was always a future date for any pleasure. He was a lovely man but unfortunately, injuries kept cropping up as soon as he had time, and then he passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on New Year’s Eve. He lived by delayed gratification and never gave himself joy in the now. 
 
He got me thinking, if the world were to end tomorrow, would I have any regrets? 
 
Not regrets regarding something I wished I had done differently, because that’s holding the past alive and the past is past. You can drag it forward, or you can forgive and release what holds you in a pain pattern. 
 
I’m talking regrets about actions untaken. Something I can alter now. And I did have one. One thing that would augment my life. Recognizing its value to me, I immediately took steps to remedy it. I already knew it was a priority this year, and now I recognized the depth of it. 
 
This blog is not to be morose- it’s to get you thinking about the present. About what you can change and do. Yes, we’re under Covid restrictions still so if travel is your thing, obviously that’ll have to wait. And there may be other restrictions due to the pandemic, but beyond that, what calls your heart? 
 
If the world ended tomorrow, is there anything in your control now that you would wish you could’ve done/said/experienced?
 
It may not be grandiose; it may be spending more time with a loved one, allowing yourself to slow down and relax, not trying to do it all perfectly. Or it could be something concrete that inspires you: learning to play guitar, preparing your body to climb Mt. Fuji, writing your memoir.
 
It’s not about being a famous such and such because that’s out of your control. What, in your control, would you regret not pursuing, fixing, accomplishing, or doing? 
 
Once you have your answer, you know your priority. Now it’s up to you to take consistent action and bring it into fruition. And if you don’t know how to do it, ask someone who does.
 
No excuses by the way. If it would be a regret, then no, “I’m too old, I don’t know how, they may not respond to my desire to reconcile…” If it’s dependent on another, you can’t control them, but you can do the healing you need to clear your side of the street, including forgiving yourself and the other. 
 
Face your fears and act in spite of them. 
 
After all, the time is now. Give yourself the gift of what calls to your heart in this moment. Joy awaits.


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