10 Regrets Every Adult Has

vemuda.com - As an adult, I can say that I've made my fair share of mistakes in life. But, making the mistakes isn't what bugs me the most because, after all, we're imperfect human and bound to make mistakes. I just wish that someone would have guided me and directed me in the right direction.

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That's why I hope this post helps someone realize some things they're wasting their life or youth on, and hopefully, turn it around.

Welcome to vemuda.com; on this site, I talk about life, money, the ups and downs and the lessons you can learn from it. 

Now, let’s get into it.

1. Complaining and Comparing

Although it might feel like you were given the shorter hand of the stick in life, especially if you aren't from a "well of background", things do get better.

A long time ago, I had a friend who seemed to have his life perfectly laid out for him. He got his first car at 16, had a good part-time job, plus a large allowance to go with it, while most of us got, well… little if not, nothing. 

However, many years later, I learned that, in the end, it all works out, destiny plays its hand, life moves on, and we all settle well in life.

I learned that it's unwise to consistently whine and complain about your life. Especially because all this complaining will take you nowhere. Instead of comparing your life to others and complaining about everything that's wrong with it, you'd better get moving and better it.  

Get a second job if you must, read inspiring  books, learn a new skill and so on. Just make sure that you do whatever it takes to make your tomorrow better than your yesterday. Only then will you have life as good as everyone else you think has it all.

2. YOLO

The YOLO mantra has gained so much popularity over time. Everyone believes that we have one life, and thus, we should make the most of it. And as much as this is true, this advice is often taken out of proportion.

Many young people have taken the YOLO mantra as an excuse to waste their youth drowning in alcohol, clubbing, and engaging in all manner of vices, all in the name of YOLO.

However, what many of them fail to see is that, other than the temporary pleasure, the best reward you'll earn is maybe a cool nickname, popularity or something like that. It's only when you're in your late 20's, with no real friendships or a partner, that you realize that you messed up.

Friends, in the words of Elenore Roosevelt,  “life is meant to be lived” So by all means, live it! Give it a little wine, sprinkle some fun, and live your life to the best it can!

3. Friendships

Some people are lucky to have made  friendships that have stood the test of time. I’m talking about those buddies you’ve known since your childhood days. If you have these kinds of friends, consider yourself very blessed.

In life, most kids will waste their time on  meaningless friendships. However, the silver lining is that, although these friendships may not actualize into anything meaningful, the social skills and lessons learned from forming  and keeping these friendships are priceless.

Like any other relationship, friendship is about supporting and complementing each other. But unfortunately, the biggest blunder in life is a lousy friend who holds you back from great opportunities and leads you astray.

4. Love

Love is a beautiful thing. However, for most of us, especially in our youth, we get played for fools in relationships. We fall in love too quickly, get attracted to people for all the wrong reasons, and make silly decisions like giving up a great job opportunity to stick around with a partner who will breaks your heart sooner rather than later. But, like all journeys in life, love should be handled carefully and with no haste.

5. What Others Say About You

Have you ever heard this piece of advice? "listen to everything they tell you but pick what you want from the advice".

This wisdom is excellent because people say a lot of things they wouldn't even do themselves. Maybe even to mislead you. Unconsciously, their words may make you doubt yourself and not push through with many things that would have otherwise put you ahead in life.

And one day, you may deeply regret ever listening to them. So, a word of advice: Always keep your next move a secret, which is more complicated than you'd expect.

6. Money

The pillars of society are built on money. And in my view, after your health and spirituality, money is the next single most important item.

We all work for it, we trade with it, and we all need it to survive and thrive on this planet. For this reason, money is profoundly important, and anyone telling you it’s not, is lying to you.

So, learn everything you can about money while you are still young, and hive the time. Read books, take courses, and learn as much as you can. Save too! Save as much as you can, and invest it. Especially if you are still in your 20s, this  can really pay off in a big way in the future.

7. Procrastination

To me, procrastination is like that friend you know is trouble, yet you keep hanging around with anyways. In a nutshell, procrastination is the devil reincarnated.

If you are a millennial, or a gen X, or a gen Z, and so on, this generation suffers the most from this procrastination problem. For some reason, everyone thinks they have all the time in the world and can do the work whenever they feel like it.

But in reality, our time is very finite. You see, when you are old and weak, and can’t do 80% of the things you used to do comfortably, you'll be regreting all the opportunities you dismissed and pushed aside.

Procrastination is rather easy, but the  consequences are a life littered with regret. You see, your youthful years are the best  opportunities to really maximize your talents, invest, learn, and also build lasting empires - if you're that ambitious.

However, most people lack the wisdom, and view this period as a time to enjoy life; partying, fornicating, drinking, and sightseeing with no resolve to better their lives. And before you know it, like a vapor, the single most valuable period in your life, is gone.

If you ask any successful individual, they'll make you understand just how vital your  youth-years are. So do something with them, something that will pay off and continue to pay dividends in the years to come.

8. Health is Wealth

In the words of Mahtma Gandhi “It is health  that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver”. No matter how young or old the mirror says you are, your health, which includes, what you eat, how you spend your time and what you consume is of chief importance. 

Unfortunately, many of us don’t realize its value until it’s too late. For some reason, young people ignore any health advice about their diet or engaging in physical exercise. They believe that they can fix it all in their adult years. But that is where they get it absolutely wrong.

One day during your doctor’s appointment,  you’ll regret not eating more vegetables earlier in life. Because now that you’re older, you don’t have as much time to exercise and shed off all the bad weight you put on from all that fast food you ate. So, listen, start taking care of your body, eat right, exercise, and grow your mind.

9. Looking Rich

The pressure to look a certain way, to dress in a certain way, and to talk in a certain way, exponentially compounded in youth. Peer-pressure, society, friends and sometime family, forces them to do some crazy stuff to fit into the world they've painted in their minds. 

Instead of investing in sensible things, they rather pour their little money trying to look rich by buying flashy outfits and hiring expensive cars they can't afford. And the unfortunate thing is, this awful habit often creeps into their adulthood.

The beauty of self-realization is that you won't need to be a people pleaser and be out there trying to please people but, instead, will have a conscious mindset of your life in the sense that you'll understand the importance of things like saving and investing before striving to look rich.

Those who made this mistake regret how  they wasted their youth and resources. So please, don't be those guys with the trendiest outfits but nothing in their pockets.  

The funny thing is, the rich actually don't care all that much about looking rich, as long as they have something comfortable and  preferably presentable, they are good to go.

10. School

A good education is the key to a better life, but a handful of young people feel as if they are being punished when they are at school. They somehow feel like their personal space has been invaded and, in most cases, despise the thought of sitting in a classroom.

It's only until they are much older, and this opportunity is no longer there that they understand the magnitude of what they missed. Education, in general, isn't about coming out of school with a degree but involves several elements that will help you live proficiently in society.  

Schools were not put in place only to keep the mind active and productive but, to also instill life skills that are seldom learned in the outside world. The people who dropped out of school in their youthful years often regret their actions and tend to have a difficult time in society.

Well, that's all I have for you today. I do hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Until next time, have a great day!