10 Things People Wish They Could Have Done More Of (& What’s Stopping Them)

Spent More Time with Friends

Nothing really prepares you for what life after college is like when it comes to friendships. After graduation, I figured I’d still see my friends pretty often since they all lived less than a 3 hour drive from me, but between COVID-19 and starting a full-time job, FaceTime has been our main source of communication. Now, half of my college friends are moving all over the country and our time in close proximity is coming to an end. I wish I had spent more time going on adventures or camping out in the library during finals week with my friends when I had the chance because getting together with them will soon mean buying a plane ticket instead of walking downstairs to find them all hanging out in our shared living room. 

Cooked More Often

I lived with my parents for part of my time in college. I was working at a bar making decent money for a 19-year-old with little to no bills. I would go out with friends or stop and get fast food for a majority of my meals. My mom is a southern woman who can whip up some of the best southern comfort food in the world. I wish I would have spent more time in the kitchen learning from her. I live in Arizona now and my mom is back on the East coast. Sometimes I crave her Brunswick stew or want to impress my friends with her famous homemade chicken and dumplings. Her recipes just never turn out as good when I attempt them, and I know that is my fault for not learning exactly how she makes them when I had the chance.

Participated in More Marathons

One thing I wish I would have done more of is run more marathons. I love running and, unfortunately, due to the amount that I work, I am unable to run as much as I would like to. If I were to do it all over again, when I was younger I would have spent more time running marathons and doing what I truly love to do. However, if I would have done that, my company would maybe not have been as successful. 

Taken a More Hands-On Approach

I wish I could have been more hands-on with my approach toward business. Often, when someone is in a leadership position, a lot of tasks get delegated to middle management and workers. Some leaders have a hands-on approach and this is something I’d like to emulate. The only thing stopping me is a lack of free time.

Spent More Time With Parents

Looking back at my life, the one thing I wish I would have done more is spend time with my parents. It is easy to forget that your parents won’t live forever, and the time we have to spend with them is limited. I wish I would have gotten more opportunities to spend more time with them.

Spoken Up More

I wish I would have stood up for myself a lot more. I was always afraid to speak up, and I thought that voicing my opinion would be considered rude. Especially in a work environment, I was afraid to disagree with my superiors and, as a result, lose my job or not be liked. I still struggle with this, but I’ve learned to speak up and stand up for myself a lot more often. I was surprised by the response I received. No one got mad at me or respected me any less. Instead, they value the fact that I always give my honest opinion and respect my point of view.

Traveled Often

I consider myself an avid traveler, but I do hope and wish to travel more. We should not be stuck in our hometowns and cities, expecting this to be as big as our world becomes. Exploring the world and viewing different cultures makes us better, well-rounded individuals. We become more understanding of others and informed. After 2020, I have made it a goal of mine to travel more. The pandemic showed me that.

Invested More in Hobbines

I’ve always been a musician, but I used to have the mentality that I shouldn’t waste so much money on things that wouldn’t generate income. Because of that, I would avoid spending money on my art, despite the fact that it helps keep me grounded. I recently upgraded some of my equipment, which helped me realize that it’s okay to spend my money on things that make me happy.

Been More Flexible

I wish I could have been more flexible in terms of my work and how I delegated tasks. Sometimes, the situation calls for a precise approach. But I’ve also learned that people appreciate a certain level of flexibility and I try to offer that to them.

Been Fearless

I wish I could have taken more chances in my life. My family are not risk-takers and I behaved in the same way. It wasn’t until I became a chef that I learnt in order to create a delicious dish, you had to take chances and experiment to become a great chef. Since then I have taken more risks, tried new ventures that have been very successful, I am so grateful, I remember a quote “If you don’t like where you’re at, move you’re not a tree.” It made me laugh but now I live by this quote.

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