5 Regrets

I would totally change some stuff. 

People say they wouldn't. I don't believe that. I mean, I definitely think that everything happens for a reason and exactly the way it is supposed to. That's what molds us into who we are today. What I mean is - looking back, if you had known then what you know now, how would it have changed your choices at the time? 

A friend of mine asked me this question recently as we were attending a high school sporting event, and we just looked around us, at the life that is high school. I know for me, it seemed like the end-all, be-all. Like you just couldn't think past the upcoming weekend. Couldn't imagine life past 18 ... or 21. 

Ha!

I don't have many regrets. I had fun in high school. I liked everyone. No major drama. No significant unhappiness.

But I do have a handful of things I would change ...

{1}

I would've had the nerve to talk to, flirt with and be myself around any guy I wanted. I would not have let a crush on someone allow me to act like a different person.

At 16, boys seemed so mysterious. I analyzed every little thing. Turns out, usually what they say is what they mean, huh? Psh! If I could go back, I would've just had fun with it. Lived for the moment. Funny thing is, when I met my husband, I was not interested in him - or any guy really. I was so over the whole dating drama. So, since I wasn't interested, I had nothing to lose. I acted like myself. Now I'm the Misses.

{2}

I would not have continued a relationship with a high school boyfriend when I went away for college.

At the time, he was everything I thought I wanted. But looking back now, I would give anything to go back and be single and just live life. There is no other time in life like college, and I feel like part of mine was lost because I was in a relationship. 

{3}

I would have taken better care of my diabetes. 

In middle and high school, diabetes was just this leech that just came with the territory. I just ignored it as much as possible. While I never really neglected it, I'm a lot more aware and careful about it now. I look back at the blood sugars that I had on the regular that I thought were acceptable and just cringe at the damage I must've done to my organs that may or may not still be haunting me today.

{4}

I would have never ever smoked the first cigarette. 

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid of me. Bad habit and hard to break. 

Thank you Anj!

{5}

I would have spent more, real, quality time with my cousins while I was babysitting them. 

At the risk of sounding SO OLD ... they grew up so fast! How did it happen? I wish I would have read to them more, made crafts with them, taught them things, been more patient. Makes me sad to think of it now. I hope to make it up one day with my own kids ... and with the younger cousins I have now, although I don't see them as often as I wish I could.

That's pretty much it. I don't regret anything else.

And I like to think that I've learned something from each of these regrets.

What about y'all? 

If you could go back, what would the older, wiser you have done differently?