would you rather do something and regret it or not do something but end up wondering about the what ifs? Spoiler: random thoughts sometimes, i wonder, if I'm either. more often than not, i simply numb away the pain. write then forget. or at least try to. and then, the same wound gets open over and over again because I'm just bad at certain things and yet stubbornly do them again. Spoiler: song
The idea of doing something and regretting it in the end is an easy word to say but hard to process, imo.
She is oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. The same elements that are inside the rest of us, but I can’t help thinking she’s more than that and she’s got other elements going on that no one’s ever heard of, ones that make her stand apart from everybody else. I feel this brief panic as I think, What would happen if one of those elements malfunctioned or just stopped working altogether? I make myself push this aside and concentrate on the feel of her skin until I no longer see molecules but Violet.
I mean, aren't the what ifs regrets that you didn't do it? So is it just regret both ways? Or are the what ifs less regretful than regret? If for one side I'm clearly regretting it, and for the other I'm only having second thoughts, I would choose the latter over the former.
I often avoid doing things if I think I'm scared of the outcome... I think it's better to do things and regret it later though.
Life has limitless possibilities. We only have one physical body walking down one path so regrets will always be there. As for the poll, isn't what ifs a regret?
Without hindsight either option is about equal. But the difference I see in them is one leaves you in limbo. While the other gives you a chance to move forward. Although the regrets still haunt me. I do feel lighter knowing I tried. At least that’s what’s true for me
I know that trying things out will give me more experience, and even if I regret it makes me sure I won't repeat the same mistake but im still too afraid to try hence I think regrets are better but I'm stuck in the what if stage
Thinking about it, Regret is something we did that we wished we didn't do meanwhile what if is something we didn't do that we wished we did. To me, both are two sides of the same coin. How you're feeling could easily switch like flipping a coin or the coin could stand on it's sides then both could be true at the same time. If I did something and regretted it, I would also probably be thinking of what ifs where what If I didn't do the action I regretted in the first place or what ifs where the outcome were favorable enough to the point where I wouldn't have regretted what I did. It changes just like that, depending on the perspective. Could be one or the other or both at the same time. So, there's really no "choosing". You're just not aware of it yet. As I've mentioned in my first comment, regrets are inevitable so you might as well keep them out of your mind as much as possible. Just treat them like the air you breathe and live your life.
I think the biggest factor for me is, if you can live with that regret. Compared it to other similar ones, the thoughts that pop up I'm your hear from time time thinking back. Those times you rethink through everything that happened one day. Those are the kinds I feel are best left to give a shot. Because having more to think about later isn't great. The ones you tend to forget, the ones that you pass off years later as no big deal? Those are the kind I don't mind passing up since typically I think about it later and figured it was never a big enough deal to worry over after all.
Better do something than living in fear of possible consequences if you can even call it a life... (I saw too many examples)
It's EXTREMELY rare for me to have tried out something new and carry regrets of having done so. Even if it ends up bad the regret doesn't usually last long, but for things that have time limited opportunities, what-ifs eat away at your mind for an extremely long time. That said, it's not always easy to gather your nerves and go and try out whatever it is you wanted to do at that moment, but that's the goal to reach for.
More often than not I regret trying new things, especially food items. The donuts last night for example, I'd never tried them before and they were a waste of money. Despite all that I usually try something new each month, and then almost always try to remember to never buy that shit again.
It depends on how you see it. Ignorance is a bliss on its own. Living happily without none the wiser is a joy, at times. Yet when you tried something and regret your decision, well, you still gain something. The memory of the experience, which can also bring joy .
I don't regret, no. But I brood over the what-ifs, the possibilities that were there, the infinite other better actions that I could've done. But at least I am not so dumb to think that there were only better actions I could've taken, I do know I could've done a lot worse and is appeased by that fact.
Familiar Wife , an Asian drama comes to mind. I prefer the Japanese version Regrets are a mirage. We need to focus on being good people since improving oneself can be a rabbit hole: eg after becoming President how do you improve yourself? It's a slippery slope that causes mental health pandemics in Asia. Regardless of the road you travel, you have to try to be a good person and don't take people for granted, yourself included. The grass is only looks greener on the other side. It isn't, it is the same with disadvantages in different places. Japanese version below: Yes, I am a big Okura Tadayoshi's fan and Hirose Alice was a revelation lol
What-ifs. What if I died. This basically prevents me from trusting random people, walking in parks at night, bungee jumping, parachuting, excursions to certain countries, being distracted while chopping veggies, etc. If I die, it has to be in my control. Best if I live forever. A few thrills here and there aren't worth it. Though I'm considering hot air balloons these days.