The 7 Things People Regret Most Often In Old Age

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We will get there one day, to the end of our lives. We don't when, where, or how but it's the one guarantee we have in life. The other guarantee is that the older we get, the more our odds of dying increase.

That's why it's important to make our time count along the way because before we know it, we will get older and regret the opportunities we missed out on, and how we spent our time. There is a specific list of regrets that are most common with older people as they look back on their life.

No matter where you are in your life, keep these 7 things in mind and make sure you never end up regretting them.

Travel And Language

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Spencer Davis / Pexels
Spencer Davis / Pexels

One of the most common regrets is travel. Travel is about more than just visiting a new place. Travel is an enriching experience where cultures collide and new ways of being are discovered. Not only do we get to see beautiful places which in itself is fulfilling, but we expose ourselves to new cultures, expanding our minds and emotional intelligence.

Plus traveling with loved ones strengthens those bonds and makes life feel like one big shared adventure. The world is so big and we're not meant to confine ourselves to the same 9-5 routine where we travel from apartment to a cubicle on a daily basis when there is so much out there to see and experience that's so much bigger than that.

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Relationship Regrets

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Ron Lach / Pexels
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Relationship regrets are quite common in old age. When we're young we convince ourselves that staying in a bad relationship will pay off based on potential or a naive idea of love. However, this leads to a life of disappointment and broken marriages. This regret doesn't only extend to romantic relationships.

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What makes this world special is the humans in it, so surrounding yourself with the right people is what makes the difference in what kind of life you lead. The right people have the power to lift you up, put you on the right path to fulfillment and success, share your jobs and sorrows as well as make life worth living. Chose who you give your energy to carefully.

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Caved To Fear Instead Of Risk

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Alexandre Zanin / Pexels
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Some people regretted that they allowed fear to stop them from trying something. It's a normal reaction to fear taking a risk, but what separates regret from accomplishment is taking the risk and seeing it play out. While sometimes it doesn't work out, mistakes can always be reprimanded. But, in the times it does work out, it all becomes worth it. Risk is how we move forward and how we prevent ourselves from remaining stagnant.

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It's easy to want to stay comfortable but the harder choice is what pushes you to the next level. if you think about it the next level will always be outside of your comfort zone, but with high risk comes high reward. Every new change is a risk, whether that means jumping into a relationship, moving to a new city, or looking for a new job. You have to try it to find out.

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Overlooked Their Health

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Edu Carvalho / Pexels
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Health is not a conscious priority for many of us and we end up paying the price later in life. While the results may not be immediate, they're worth it. The three most commonly neglected areas are teeth, use of sunscreen, and exercise.

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However oral hygiene ensures you can still enjoy a steak in old age and wearing sunscreen helps when wrinkles start to appear as well as protect from skin cancer. In the aging population, exercise has been shown to prevent disease, lower the risk of falls, improve mental health and well-being, strengthen social ties, and improve cognitive function.

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Stayed Too Comfortable In Careers

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Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
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Finding a job is hard but that shouldn't deter you from always working your way up, without giving your whole life to your career. One of the biggest regrets in life was giving career priority even when it wasn't healthy or fulfilling. People often wished they had either pursued further education or followed courses related to their passion.

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People who were workaholics regretted it because of how much they missed out on life outside of work. It's all about balance.

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Were Their Own Harshest Critic

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Anna Shvets / Pexels
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People in old age regretted how hard they were on themselves. You're never going to be as young as you are now again so make the most of it. You're wasting time and sacrificing your own happiness by spending too long worrying about your body image. Who cares what others think of you as long as you are happy?

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Live life according to your own standards, not the ones of others. Yes, you will make mistakes along the way but forgive yourself and move on. Control what you can and accept the rest. This is how you free yourself from societal pressure and maintain a level of confidence that makes you feel good. Plus the more you feel good, the more you will project that out.

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Didn't Say "I Love You" Enough

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We tend to take each other for granted not realizing the impact that we have on one another until it's too late. It's the simple things like giving random hugs, opening the door for strangers, and saying "I love you" often that people regret most in their life. We're afraid to show too much love when we should be normalizing it.

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Life is short so there is no reason to let go of people without showing them just how special they are at every opportunity. If we all showed that level of affection and kindness to others, we would all collectively be happier people who feel genuinely loved.

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Stop To Smell The Roses

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There is no way to predict how long you have left no matter how old you are. Stop pushing what you actually want to do for tomorrow and prioritizing what you think you should do today. Tomorrow might never come but your responsibilities will always be there. Don't be afraid to tap into your passions, follow your dreams and take risks so that when the time does come you never have any regrets.

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