Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Coulda Woulda Shoulda

On her blog Gabrielle Swain recently asked: What would we do differently in our lives?
And I instantly flash on the old refrain that used to play in my head "Coulda Woulda Shoulda", such a paralyzing train of thought. Do I really want to get on this train today? Sure, why not?!
So these aren't regrets per se, but are recognitions of roads not taken, turnoffs passed by on the path I've negotiated through this life. They aren't regrets for me anymore because I now believe very emphatically that this isn't my only spin around the wheel. I'll be back for more, and I'll learn (or not) from my experiences in this life.

So here are my 10 things I would do differently in my life to date:
1. I would not have listened to my dad that math would be too hard in college and gone into the sciences instead of business school.
2. I would not have joined a church against my parent's advice in my high school years.
3. I would not have stopped running, hiking and biking because of starting an evening MBA program that I quit and didn't finish anyways.
4. I would not have used progesterone cream when I thought I was having perimenopause symptoms (it led to current complications I'm enduring now).
5. I would have kept working full-time when I became a mother.
6. I would have continued racing cars.
7. I would not have given up playing the saxophone in high school.
8. I would have kept in better touch with old friends.
9. I would not have started dyeing my hair when it began going gray.
10. I would have traveled to all the continents by now.

How about yours?

2 comments:

MsT said...

I hear you on the "no regrets," but do you have any plans to revisit your list? Scientists are saying, 40 is the new 30!

Jaye said...

#8. It's never too late.