Regrets, We’ve Had a Few

There’s a new study out about what people regret in life. Perhaps not surprisingly, our most common regrets center around love — either a lost love or love never pursued. Though there are plenty of other things that people regret.

“People did mention high school romances, the things that got away from them… Some people said they should have studied something different in college, taken a different career path or followed their passions. Other people said they wished they’d worked less to spend time with children.’’

What about spending all of their time on the internet and never going outside? Was that on the list? Just wondering, you know, casually… Anyway, it seems there’s no way to know what you’ll regret later. You might spend your old age wishing you had been ballsy enough to go after that girl, or you might spend adulthood cringing every time you think of that horrible thing you said to your mother when you were 16. (Sorry, mom!) But you still have to live your life, and the study offered some helpful insight.

“Just as many respondents expressed regret for something they had done as those who felt regret for something they had not done. However, people whose regrets involved something they didn’t do or a missed opportunity were more likely to hold on to the regret over time.”

So you might as well go for it, girl. Take the bull by the horns, leave it all on the road, seize the day, etc. What’s that thing they say, “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”? Well, now it’s scientifically-proven to be true, or something. I don’t know. In the words of the wise and very handsome Tim Riggins: “No regrets.”

Photo via Flickr