What Would You Do Different If Lived Your Life Over?

 


If You Could Live Life Over, What Would You Do Differently?

I often think about, " What if I could have a do-over on some of the choices I made in my life? What would I do differently?" 

Life doesn't really offer do-overs and I know it’s useless for me to kick myself over things I can’t change. So, are there any benefits in reflecting on the past? I say yes, because it helps me see what I wish I had done differently and helps me set goals for the way I want to live my life in the future.  

Survey of 95 and older people.

Dr. Anthony Campolo, Professor of Sociology, Eastern College, St. Davids, Pennsylvania, shares the results of a survey where 50 people 95 years and older were asked: “If you could live your life over what would you do differently?” The answers surprised me. With more than 5000 cumulative life experience ……These old folks said that if they could live their lives over, they would…

1. Reflect more.

These seniors said they would take the time to think about what was going on and live their lives along well-thought-out priorities. They would contemplate the meaning of life, family, work and much more.

2. Risk more.

These wonderful aged human beings said they would have taken more chances in life. If they could re-live their lives, they wouldn’t be so scared to take risks. They would have developed more courage to venture out of their comfort zones.

3. Do things that would outlast them.

They wanted to know that their lives counted for something, that long after they left this world, somehow their impact would live on. We all can learn something from these people about setting goals.

In his book, Living, Loving and Learning by Leo Buscaglia’s he included this letter from an 85-year-old man.

If I had my life to live over again, I’d try to make more mistakes next time. I wouldn’t try to be so perfect. I would relax more. I’d limber up… I know very few things that I would take so seriously, I’d be crazier. I’d be less hygienic… I’d climb more mountains, I’d swim more rivers, I’d watch more sunset… I’d eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I’d have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

You see I was one of those people who lived prophylactically and sensibly and sanely hour after hour and day after day… I’d try to have nothing but beautiful moments- moment by moment by moment.

I’ve been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had to do it all over again, I’d travel lighter next time. If I had to do it all over again, I’d start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I’d ride more merry-go-rounds, I’d watch more sunrises, and I’d play with more children, if I had my life to live over again. But you see, I don’t.”

 

20 Things I would like to do-over.

·        Studying harder.

·        Taking up more hobbies.

·        Writing down stories older people told me.

·        Learned a second language.

·        Started saving money as a teenager.

·        Taken more vacations.

·        Wrote more thank you notes.

·        Saved things that would be important to me today. 

         Kept in touch with old friends.

·        Took better care of myself. Eating better and exercising more.

·        Hugged my kids more and told them how much they mean to me.

·        Worked less and spent more time with my family.

·        Watched less TV.

·        Read more non-fiction books.

·        Taken a writing class.

·        Started a journal earlier in my life.

·        Relaxed more.

·        Less spur of the moment buying.

·        Took up drawing.

·        Said more "Thank you's," more "I'm sorry's," more "I love you's."

I could easily come up with several more re-dos, but the goal of this exercise is to look at some of the things I wished I had done differently, not all of them.

How learning has changed my life.

Never stop learning. I’m dedicated to continual self-education and learning. If I don’t learn at least one new thing every day, I feel like I wasted that day.

If I don’t write things down, I forget them. I journal every day and I’m very honest when I express my thoughts, successes, failures, and fears. One person I cannot afford to BS, is me.

It’s never too late to change who you are. I’m working on being a better person. I try to correct my bad habits and be more open minded on issues.

Conclusion.

There is more to living than purely existing. It makes you take a hard look over your own life when you read what the group of 95 or older say about what they would like to do over. If you wrote a letter like the 85-years old letter to your 10-year-old self, what would it say. I believe the primary benefit when we look back and think about our lives, is it makes us focus more on what we can get done than what we haven’t accomplished.

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