Regretting what we did or didn’t do is like sitting in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere!

Scratch that! It will get you somewhere - to a life of more regrets, endlessly reliving all those things you coulda', shoulda', woulda'.... At this point, as your future unfolds right before your eyes and you realize that it's a living agony and not a life, a tiny voice in your head screams : „Hell, no!“

There’s a reason this voice inside sends a wake-up call. Your intuitive self knows that a life without regrets is just a few easy steps away. So, here’s some food for thought and a few action steps that could lead you in the right direction.

Think of what you’re missing

Stop missing out on all the good things that are going on around you. Stop being the person who always goes home after work. Seriously, is one late night going to be so bad? You’re not going to get enough sleep for tomorrow? Only models need beauty sleep and unless you’re a model there really is no excuse why you should skip every invitation to parties, dinners and concerts on a work night.

Do something silly

Surprise yourself to experience something new and initiate change. Surprise the people around you and watch their reactions. You can learn a lot about yourself and quite honestly, apart from maybe feeling a bit embarrassed if something goes wrong, you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose. Write a poem and read it out loud on the subway during the morning commute. Watch the reactions. Laugh! A lot! Go to an adult ballet class. Go and watch a movie in a language you do not understand. Will you regret it? No way! You will be empowered by what you can do and how brave you were to take the plunge!

Travel alone

Travel can change a person. As daunting as it may sound, travelling alone can be super rewarding and life changing. It can be a city break just for the weekend. Spend time alone roaming some new place. Savor the food, enjoy the smells and sounds. Study the expressions of strangers passing by. Give them names and invent their life histories. You will notice so much more than if you had company and you will enjoy each new day and its discoveries.

Find time for yourself

It’s way more easier than it sounds. Each day has 24 hours. So, calculate how much time you’ve got left on your hands after you deduce hours spent on sleeping and working. You’ll be left with at least 5 to 8 hours of time. If you can take just half an hour each day for something you enjoy, your family, your partner or your dog won’t even notice it! Oh, and one more thing, you can even choose to do nothing - cause it’s your time.

Experience the moment

You’re probably familiar with the sensation of feeling completely alone in a room full of people. The next time you feel like this, try not to think it’s because the world is moving without you. Observe these situations as opportunities to be present in the moment and just absorb everything around you.

Here are some simple ideas you can try any day. During the rush hour, just step out of your body for a moment and feel the pulsation of the traffic, the city, the people. On a morning walk stop to smell the flowers. Actually stop and inspect every petal and enjoy the smell. Each moment can become special, no matter how ordinary, only if you want it to.

Speak up!

Most of our regrets are people related. Sometimes there’s so much we’d like to say to those closest to us, or our bosses, colleagues...Why not? Cause, in the end, you feel the way you feel exactly because you’re not speaking your mind. Tell that special person you love them, tell your friend her dress is awful, tell your boss he doesn’t appreciate you enough, tell your kids that you’re not perfect or that you’re proud of what they’ve become. Tell your mom to stop calling you every day. Say it all and see what happens. You might be surprised.

In the end what it all comes down to is that voice from the beginning, telling us “Just do it!”. Why would you question it? Why would you stop yourself from enjoying every single day? There’s nothing you can do about yesterday, as it is in the past, and tomorrow is unpredictable, so who know what it brings. Live in the present and throw that rocking chair out the window. Get yourself a bike instead and just start spinning- no regrets.