We hear people say it all the time: "I don't have any regrets" If you are anything like me, then your reaction to such an assertion is complex. I mean, is it really possible to live life without regrets? And if you REALLY have no regrets, are you living life to the fullest? Also, where is the line between a mistake and a regret (because, I don't care what anyone says, we ALL make mistakes)? The last time I heard someone, once again, brag about the whole "no regrets" thing, I was inspired to do a little research, and a lot of deep thinking, to wrap mind around the concept of living life without regrets. Here's what I came up with.
Life isn't perfect. This is a big, "duh," I know. But doesn't having no regrets imply that you've lived your life perfectly? Not necessarily. Really, regret (or the lack thereof) is not about having everything in your life work out the way you want it to. Regret is all about your attitude, which brings us to the next point.
The right attitude. What I found is that people who claim to have no regrets have made many mistakes, experienced many hardships, and stumbled many times along this unpredictable journey we call life. The one thing that enables them to move forward without the burden of regret is an attitude of acceptance. All of the adversity, sad times, pitfalls and otherwise seemingly negative experiences we have in life are actually opportunities to learn and grow. Therefore, it is pointless to regret that which has helped mold you into a better person. But what if you don't learn from your mistakes? Well, read on.
The commitment. An integral part of living without regret is making a commitment to consciously, proactively choose what you feel are the best, most "right" decisions you can make. It is not enough to accept that life is hard and that you will inevitably make mistakes. You must also be able to say that you did the best you could. Living recklessly and haphazardly is a sure source of regret; living a life of integrity is a cure for regret. When you can say, "Well, it didn't work out the way I'd hoped, but I know I gave it my all and had the best of intentions," you have nothing to regret, because you really could not have done any better.
Is it possible to live without regret? Sure. Is it easy? Like most things in life that are worth having, it is not. Fortunately, living without regret is not a birthright, or a stroke of luck. It is a virtue, and you can develop it so that you, too, can say your life is free of regret.
About the Author: Stanford Sypniewski is a writer and philosopher who enjoys talking about life with others. He also works with human resource departments to find finance recruitment companies who can help them fill their staffing needs.
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