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Looking back:Is there anything you would have done differently?

(118 Posts)
Rocketstop2 Wed 25-Mar-26 19:23:17

I would have started my own business early on , not listened to the doubters.
I would have taken more risks earlier on, knowing what I know now.
I would have travelled more if I couold have but never had the spare money.
What about you ? I don't mean in a regretful 'Woe is me' kind of way, I know we can't change things and live for the here and now, but if you could go back and change how you did things, would you ?

Rocketstop2 Wed 25-Mar-26 19:30:46

Oh and also, I was once invited to an Italian wedding of people I didn't know, I could have been a plus one guest. I said no because I was bit worried about leaving husband and small son at the time.When the friend came back and told me all about it, showed me the photos and how welcome they had all been made, the lovely food, the weather, all of it. I should have gone, it was only for a few days !

Gracey Wed 25-Mar-26 19:32:01

Yes, I wish I'd chosen a different way to earn a living. I had a long career but really hated my work and often wished I'd trained to do something more creative...more me. With children, bills and a mortgage to pay there wasn't ever a time to ditch work and go into another sphere...not that was I qualified to do anything else. Being stuck in a job you dislike is awful.

Cossy Wed 25-Mar-26 19:40:12

Yes, almost everything 🙄

Newatthis Wed 25-Mar-26 19:44:02

I wish I had left home earlier. I was 26 when I got married and apart from 10 months in France I have always lived at home. Even when living in France I stayed with a family so I have never lived on my own. I did spend 6 months living alone (with my dog) when my husband was in Afghanistan but never during my teens or as a single person.

M0nica Wed 25-Mar-26 19:44:28

Non, je ne regrette rien.

It is easy to think just one step ahead, but if you had set your business up earlier Rocketstop2. It might have failed, it may have ended in you being killed in a road accident because a business journey meant you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.You cannot just think one step ahead.

My life has been full of junctions where I have had to choose which route to follow. Some decisions have been right, others have been wrong, but all in all I am now over 80, and I regret nothing, much better things to do and think about to waste time on fruitless regrets.

crazyH Wed 25-Mar-26 19:51:55

I wish I had a career. I have a Master’s in English Language and Literature.
Instead, I looked after my husband’s practice - a payless, thankless and loveless job. Needless to say, I am now divorced.
On the plus side, I was a SAHM.

Cossy Wed 25-Mar-26 19:54:18

M0nica

Non, je ne regrette rien.

It is easy to think just one step ahead, but if you had set your business up earlier Rocketstop2. It might have failed, it may have ended in you being killed in a road accident because a business journey meant you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.You cannot just think one step ahead.

My life has been full of junctions where I have had to choose which route to follow. Some decisions have been right, others have been wrong, but all in all I am now over 80, and I regret nothing, much better things to do and think about to waste time on fruitless regrets.

Fabulous answer 🥀

boheminan Wed 25-Mar-26 19:55:23

Strangely I asked a close friend this question this morning and her response was 'no'. I so regret I didn't carry on having a car and driving (I gave up 30 years ago) my life would have taken such a different turn to how I've ended up.

Marg75 Wed 25-Mar-26 21:32:25

I regret marrying young, I don't regret marrying DH but we were only 22, and I wish I had 'lived' more before settling down. Although we've travelled I regret not seeing even more of the world.

fancyflowers Wed 25-Mar-26 21:37:26

My grammar school in the 1960s turned out teachers, nurses and secretaries, in that order.

I went into teaching and I am now retired. I did the best I could, but I wasn't suited to it. I am too introverted.

A career involving the arts would have suited me better.

But lots of the teaching was a joy and my Facebook page has many of my ex pupils on it. I am able to follow their careers, and send congratulations when a baby is born to any of them.

Oreo Wed 25-Mar-26 21:38:37

I think most people have some regrets in life, either things they should have done or not done.

petra Wed 25-Mar-26 21:40:00

Nothing, absolutely nothing That includes the bad times from which you learn.

Usedtobeblonde Wed 25-Mar-26 21:42:38

So many things it would take ages for me to to list them all and that is the truth but being a people pleaser is probably at the root of most if not all.

fancyflowers Wed 25-Mar-26 21:45:09

Usedtobeblonde

So many things it would take ages for me to to list them all and that is the truth but being a people pleaser is probably at the root of most if not all.

That's it exactly. I never had the courage to say what I actually wanted.

I do have the courage now, but it's a bit late in the day.

Oreo Wed 25-Mar-26 21:46:08

petra

Nothing, absolutely nothing That includes the bad times from which you learn.

You did it ‘your way’ Petra😁

Fallingstar Wed 25-Mar-26 21:49:00

I wish I had forged a career and spent time living alone before getting married. I went from my parents home to my in laws home where I spent our first year of marriage. I was a teacher so did have a career but we had children so I stayed at home for a few years whilst my DH was promoted from his teaching role to head of department.
My DDs lived away from home for a few years when they left uni and enjoyed a life as single young women, forging their careers, with an active social life and opportunities to travel the world. They married later and had children later.
I don’t regret doing things the way I did, it worked out fine, but would have liked to do things differently in this respect.

Allira Wed 25-Mar-26 22:32:31

I should have rebelled more instead of being dutiful.

Basgetti Wed 25-Mar-26 22:39:45

No, not really. It’s all worked out pretty well.

(Though the Bay City Rollers outfits were probably questionable 🤣)

friendlygingercat Wed 25-Mar-26 22:46:32

I should have gone to university much younger and become an academic at an earlier stage in my life. I deeply regret now that I left it to my 40s. Still, better late than never .

paddyann54 Wed 25-Mar-26 22:53:23

No regrets ,we,ve had some tough times but we came through them all together and they weren,t things we were in control of anyway.
Wouldn,t change a thing ,love my OH to the moon and back and we,ve been happy for nearly 52 years

Basgetti Wed 25-Mar-26 22:56:12

paddyann54

No regrets ,we,ve had some tough times but we came through them all together and they weren,t things we were in control of anyway.
Wouldn,t change a thing ,love my OH to the moon and back and we,ve been happy for nearly 52 years

Beautiful 😊

Lovemylife Wed 25-Mar-26 23:01:12

I’m another grammar school girl who really should not have gone into teaching. I was not suited to it at all.

Catterygirl Wed 25-Mar-26 23:37:13

I’m another grammar school girl who was made to be a secretary. Err, read servant for boss picking up laundry and heavy bags of fruit for his lazy wife. Lots of laughs.

Greenfinch Wed 25-Mar-26 23:52:39

We had three children. It might have been nice to have had four but then how would I have transported them?