Living Without Regrets

“Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die tomorrow.” – Unknown

 

As much as we want to believe, no matter how smart we proclaim to be, the level of our educational achievements or the “geniuses” we choose to hang out with, we will never be able to predict the future for ourselves. We may come close or generally understand how certain circumstances typically work out, but it still may not work out how we thought it would. 

There will always be a risk, although I will never disagree that taking an inventory is a prudent idea. An inventory that ascertains the facts and figures. An inventory that considers the present situation, thoroughly evaluates the real circumstances and moves forward with care, concern and guided wisdom. 

So, with all that said, we still can’t afford to live a life of regrets. Forever thinking about yesterday’s attempts and failures. Wondering what if we did this or that. So many of our decisions hinge on the ideas of what could be or could have been. The endless possibilities, the deep unknown and the potential of what we could be or have been. It makes me tired just to think about the endless opportunities I failed to move on in the past. 

And for all of you careful thinkers, over analyzers and ones that choose to check the box twice just to be sure, I get you. I am you, and fully understand the lust for your need to completely understand, although “all knowing” rarely falls into our realm of real life experiences.

So what do we do? Are we doomed by how we innately live our lives? Careful, cautious, and calculated? I say no, with astounding resolve! Our lives and how we choose to live them is not an accident. Who we find ourselves with and how we choose to live our lives is not the end of our story, but we first must believe that, I mean get it at the core of who we are. Or else we will be burdened with the notions of what could have been forever.

Sure we will make decisions that don’t serve our best interest at times. We live and learn, hopefully. For those that don’t learn, please get support to rectify the poor decision making process. For those that have learned through the pain, don’t stop living. The worst we can do is shy away from being who we are, because of what we “think” we have become. 

Unfortunately, many times we sum it up that we’re failures, destined to continue the cycle of misery. For some this is wisdom while for others, this is an excuse or reason to stop living our best life. The answers lie in our choices to ask for help or to live exclusively alone.

Over the years I have not only learned, but accepted the people who have entered my life inexplicably. It doesn’t always make sense, but there is an ultimate purpose. I realized that not only do I not need to have the answers,  because most times I don’t. I want to have them, and often think I do, but I simply do not and that’s okay, as long as I understand that and make the appropriate decisions with the information I have.

Today at 50, I’m still unsure of many things, but not unsure of who I am. I know why I think the way I do, and the purpose it serves. Others may still be confused or in disagreement about how I choose to live, but I can no longer please them or make sure they’re okay, for we all have our journeys to live. 

Mine is “this” without regrets, what ifs or doubt. What about yours? Are you living the life you were destined  to live or still living for others that claim they know who you are, or worse, you have affirmed that for them?

Keep Pressing,

Hank G

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