4 Ways You Can Start Living (And Loving!) Your Life Without Regrets

No matter which path we choose, there will always be a voice in our heads asking us "what if"?  What if I miss out on something? What if I don’t get it right? Or what if it doesn’t work out?

The most painful regrets are crippling, and often come because we don't have the confidence to do what we want, or we choose a path based on fear. Whenever we do something out of fear, guilt, or obligation we end up complicating our life and look back wishing we made a different decision.

Asking "what if" is part of being human, but painful regrets don't need to dominate your life. The most important step to avoiding painful regrets in life is to focus on what is important to you.

A little bit of selfishness is not going to hurt you or others, if it means starting to trust yourself. Here’s how you can start living without regrets:

1. Visualize your goals.

Get a clear picture of what you want, where you're going, and how to get there.

One of the best ways to do this is to surround yourself with inspiring and uplifting people who are willing to share their knowledge and experience. Learn and grow from those who’ve gone before you but don’t hold them on a pedestal.

If someone says something which doesn’t make you feel good about yourself, let that one go.

2. Avoid other people’s drama.

We each create our own life story and live accordingly. Some people prefer to stay in the drama genre. Just because they tell you about their problems doesn’t mean they want your help. Let them find solutions to their own problems.

3. Take good care of yourself, both emotionally and physically.

Maybe you feel like you’re putting everyone else's needs first and not practicing the self-care that you know you need. It’s your responsibility to nourish your emotional, spiritual and physical needs. How you treat your needs is reflected in how the outside world treats you back.

Make decisions that feel right for you – not everyone else.  Decisions made purely out of fear, obligation or guilt are not going to serve anyone in the long term, yourself included. 

4. Live your life positively.

Start the day with the question “How can I make a difference today?” This will help you focus on what you love doing and what you’re good at.

When you approach your day this way you are more likely to wake up on a mission instead of feeling bored, overwhelmed and "over it". 

Each day presents us with an opportunity to make the most of life by being who we are and using all of who we are, to make a difference, however big or small. To the degree that you've given it your best by living in the moment and  listening to yourself, then you can never look back at life in regret. 

Suzi Petrozzi is a life coach, mentor and speaker. http://www.suzipetrozzi.com