Do you have any regrets about things you've done?

[Cristina]

Hi everybody,

I've listened many times people saying,If I wouldn't do that or this,things would be different.....

Do you have any regrets about things you've done or haven't done?

What if....you could live your life over again?

What things you would do differently and what things you would do exactly the same.

Opinions

Cris
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[Conchita]

If I start thinking back to everything I shouldn’t have done, I might slip into a depression! So I’d better not trigger feelings of regret now!

Were I to be given a second chance, I would ask for everything to be different, except for my family and the best moments. Living the same life all over again doesn’t appeal to me at all, so why not change countries, languages, people, experiences, once we’re at it?

Now I wouldn't like to give the wrong impression. I'm perfectly happy with who and what I am and feel privileged and grateful for every single day .

[Jamie (K)]

There is a novel by P.D. Ouspensky, one of several Russians who have become English novelists, called The Strange Life of Ivan Osokin. The main character, Ivan, regretted his life, and was given a chance to live it again with the full knowledge that he had in his later, wiser years. As he lives his life over again, he finds he can't change anything, because circumstances made the things he had done before unavoidable.

There are many things I would do differently. One is that I would study math better and take more science in school. Knowing more math would make my life easier now, and I would now get a great deal more satisfaction from life if I knew more science. In fact, when I hear about some of the breakthroughs in medical research, it makes me so excited that I wish I had gone into that profession.

Another thing I would have done differently is that in my 20s I would have gone ahead and stolen other men's girlfriends. This sounds crazy, but let me explain: When I was in my 20s and early 30s, I would sometimes be approached by perfectly nice young women who were interested in me, and I would reject them. I would have been happy to date them, but the problem for me was that they would often be in a relationship with another man. Out of a sense of honor, and a sense of compassion for the other man, I would not "steal" his girlfriend. After all, how would I feel if someone did that to me? I just couldn't do that to any man. This was always a really stupid mistake, because the girl never stayed with the guy anyway, and because of my "honor", I never got her. Maybe I would have found a good wife among these girls.

[Sunflower]

Hi everybody,

I'm a sort of person who likes regretting not doing things I should have done!!! I would have studied harder to get good grades. I was really blamed for not trying hard at school. I should have been more friendly with other people. One more thing is that I should have understood better how to live my life .

You were right, Conchita. I would also slip into depression if i begin thinking about what i ought to have done in the past!

Well, however, I realize that I can't turn everything back and what I am going to do is to face and enjoy every moment of this life. And all those regrets can make my life better and easier. Everything outside changes a lot, which can't be expected.

We may not be able to control the world I see around us, but we can control the world we see within us.

[Fan Of Arabian Horses]

Hi you all!

Why should I regret anything what I have done? I mean, of course, I could have studied English in earlier years! But would I have met you here now if I would have done that? Therefore I think it doesn?t matter what I could have done. For me important is what I?m doing now! And also I would not be me If I would have done anything in a different way, or what?

Michael

[Alan]

Hi Jamie,

I was interested to see that you use math as an abbreviation for mathematics. When I first read it, I assumed it was a typo but clearly it isn't. I would write maths and the only use of math I can think of would be in polymath someone of immense learning.

Alan
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[Jamie (K)]

[Jan]

Hi Cristina,
I was doing in my life many awful and bad things but I regret them just a little I don't know why but I regret things which I haven't done specially some very dirty things.
regards
Jan
bad man , bad answer

[Jamie (K)]

[Jan]

[Conchita]

[Yankee]

[Jamie (K)]

[Alan]

Wait for it - any minute now Sinatra will appear and give us a quick rendition of:

Regrets, I've had a few ...

It brings a tear to the eye, doesn't it?
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[Torsten]

Hi,

Many thanks to Cristina and everyone who has been sharing their experiences and thoughts on this this interesting topic.

I have read every response and like to say that a lot of what you have said sounds all to familiar to me. I used to regret decisions I had made but lately I have come to realize that there better ways of spending my time and energy. What is the definition of the word regret? It's something like feeling sorrow or remorseful.

If I regret something I want to change something that has already happened. In other words, regretting something means I'm wasting my time because changing something that has already happened is impossible. So, instead of thinking about what could have been I'd rather think about what will be.

To be honest, what exactly is the use of the conditional III? How often do you need it? I have made the decision that from now on I will live my life in such a way that I won't need the conditional III at all. If somebody wants me to explain the rules of the conditional III, I'll refer them to the Explanation of the Conditional III and remind them that the Conditional I is much more important and useful.

What do you think of this?
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