I took the photo above last Spring. Lilacs emit my favorite scent. As we enter the dark months of Winter ahead, I'd like to focus on what comes after: flowers, sunshine, joy. Sometimes, when we have to spend long hours inside, we start to feel trapped. In cages, we seek ways to free ourselves, and if we can't do that physically by going outside (because it's dark and cold and icy), we seek alternatives...and don't always think through the consequences of these options.
While we're making choices about what to do, if we force ourselves to take a moment or two to consider which path will or might later lead us to regret our actions, maybe that's not the right direction to go. I'd argue that it's not always easy to figure out what actions will lead us to the most joy, but it is often easy to know that an option might become a regret. I'd argue that knowing what not to do and not doing it is a huge factor in having a happy life.
Now, if I could just get the teenagers I know to follow this plan...
Do you have good advice about how to prevent regret? Please share ideas in the comments.
I hadn’t thought of it that way. I always tell myself “I want to look back and be proud of how I behaved.” Avoiding regret will take that to the next level…especially when the stakes are high.
❤️
Thanks, Tracy. Yes, I appreciate both ways to think about how to make choices. Either one will lead to better outcomes than just diving in headfirst without any thought! hugs, cg
This is how I make all hard decisions. Which would I regret, doing it or not doing it.
I just heard a cool podcast about the “Ulysses Method” of asking three questions to decide what to do with one’s life. I won’t say much more about it now because I plan to write a whole post about it later, but at the heart of the questions is what you’ve been asking: Will I regret more doing or not doing this? Smart way to decide!