1. Not traveling when you had the chance.
Traveling becomes infinitely harder
the older you get, especially if you have a family and need to pay the
way for three-plus people instead of just yourself.
the older you get, especially if you have a family and need to pay the
way for three-plus people instead of just yourself.
2. Not learning another language.
Apatow Productions / Dreamworks
You’ll kick yourself when you realize you took three years of language in high school and remember none of it.
3. Staying in a bad relationship.
No one who ever gets out of a bad relationship looks back without wishing they made the move sooner.
4. Forgoing sunscreen.
SNL
Wrinkles, moles, and skin cancer can largely be avoided if you protect yourself.
5. Missing the chance to see your favorite musicians.
“Nah, dude, I’ll catch Nirvana next time they come through town.” Facepalm.
6. Being scared to do things.
Paramount Pictures
Looking back you’ll think, What was I so afraid of?
7. Failing to make physical fitness a priority.
Columbia Pictures
Too many of us spend the physical
peak of our lives on the couch. When you hit 40, 50, 60, and beyond,
you’ll dream of what you could have done.
peak of our lives on the couch. When you hit 40, 50, 60, and beyond,
you’ll dream of what you could have done.
8. Letting yourself be defined by gender roles.
ABC / hookedonhouses.net
Few things are as sad as an old person saying, “Well, it just wasn’t done back then.”
9. Not quitting a terrible job.
20th Century Fox
Look, you gotta pay the bills. But if
you don’t make a plan to improve your situation, you might wake up one
day having spent 40 years in hell.
you don’t make a plan to improve your situation, you might wake up one
day having spent 40 years in hell.
10. Not trying harder in school.
Jive Records
It’s not just that your grades play a
role in determining where you end up in life. Eventually you’ll realize
how neat it was to get to spend all day learning, and wish you’d paid
more attention.
role in determining where you end up in life. Eventually you’ll realize
how neat it was to get to spend all day learning, and wish you’d paid
more attention.
11. Not realizing how beautiful you were.
Too many of us spend our youth unhappy with the way we look, but the reality is, that’s when we’re our most beautiful.
12. Being afraid to say “I love you.”
Fox
When you’re old, you won’t care if your love wasn’t returned — only that you made it known how you felt.
13. Not listening to your parents’ advice.
You don’t want to hear it when you’re young, but the infuriating truth is that most of what your parents say about life is true.
14. Spending your youth self-absorbed.
Fox
You’ll be embarrassed about it, frankly.
15. Caring too much about what other people think.
SNL / Paramount
In 20 years you won’t give a damn about any of those people you once worried so much about.
16. Supporting others’ dreams over your own.
Supporting others is a beautiful thing, but not when it means you never get to shine.
17. Not moving on fast enough.
NBC
Old people look back at the long periods spent picking themselves off the ground as nothing but wasted time.
18. Holding grudges, especially with those you love.
What’s the point of re-living the anger over and over?
19. Not standing up for yourself.
New Line Cinema.
Old people don’t take shit from anyone. Neither should you.
20. Not volunteering enough.
OK, so you probably won’t regret not volunteering Hunger Games
style, but nearing the end of one’s life without having helped to make
the world a better place is a great source of sadness for many.
style, but nearing the end of one’s life without having helped to make
the world a better place is a great source of sadness for many.
21. Neglecting your teeth.
New Line Cinema
Brush. Floss. Get regular checkups. It will all seem so maddeningly easy when you have dentures.
22. Missing the chance to ask your grandparents questions before they die.
Most of us realize too late what an
awesome resource grandparents are. They can explain everything you’ll
ever wonder about where you came from, but only if you ask them in time.
awesome resource grandparents are. They can explain everything you’ll
ever wonder about where you came from, but only if you ask them in time.
23. Working too much.
No one looks back from their deathbed
and wishes they spent more time at the office, but they do wish they
spent more time with family, friends, and hobbies.
and wishes they spent more time at the office, but they do wish they
spent more time with family, friends, and hobbies.
24. Not learning how to cook at least one awesome meal.
Parkwood / Columbia
Knowing one drool-worthy meal will make all those dinner parties and celebrations that much more special.
25. Not stopping enough to appreciate the moment.
Young people are constantly on the go, but stopping to take it all in now and again is a good thing.
26. Failing to finish what you start.
Via insideballet.com
“I had big dreams of becoming a nurse. I even signed up for the classes, but then…”
27. Never mastering one awesome party trick.
You will go to hundreds, if not thousands, of parties in your life. Wouldn’t it be cool to be the life of them all?
28. Letting yourself be defined by cultural expectations.
Don’t let them tell you, “We don’t do that.”
29. Refusing to let friendships run their course.
Comedy Central
People grow apart. Clinging to what
was, instead of acknowledging that things have changed, can be a source
of ongoing agitation and sadness.
was, instead of acknowledging that things have changed, can be a source
of ongoing agitation and sadness.
30. Not playing with your kids enough.
When you’re old, you’ll realize your
kid went from wanting to play with you to wanting you out of their room
in the blink of an eye.
kid went from wanting to play with you to wanting you out of their room
in the blink of an eye.
31. Never taking a big risk (especially in love).
Knowing that you took a leap of faith
at least once — even if you fell flat on your face — will be a great
comfort when you’re old.
at least once — even if you fell flat on your face — will be a great
comfort when you’re old.
32. Not taking the time to develop contacts and network.
Tri-Star Pictures
Networking may seem like a bunch of crap when you’re young, but later on it becomes clear that it’s how so many jobs are won.
33. Worrying too much.
ABC
As Tom Petty sang, “Most things I worry about never happen anyway.”
34. Getting caught up in needless drama.
Oxygen Network
Who needs it?
35. Not spending enough time with loved ones.
Our time with our loved ones is finite. Make it count.
36. Never performing in front of others.
This isn’t a regret for everyone, but
many elderly people wish they knew — just once — what it was like to
stand in front of a crowd and show off their talents.
many elderly people wish they knew — just once — what it was like to
stand in front of a crowd and show off their talents.
37. Not being grateful sooner.
NBC
It can be hard to see in the
beginning, but eventually it becomes clear that every moment on this
earth — from the mundane to the amazing — is a gift that we’re all so
incredibly lucky to share.
beginning, but eventually it becomes clear that every moment on this
earth — from the mundane to the amazing — is a gift that we’re all so
incredibly lucky to share.
