[A collaboration post – all thoughts are my own.]

Have you ever regret not pursuing the most important things in life?

I’m still in my 20s and it’s common to think about what the most important things in life are. There are times when I regret not working toward a healthy body and not saving money earlier. We regret living in fear and not becoming the person we truly wanted to be. We all seek to align ourselves with things that truly matter and will add to our happiness.

What is really important in life?

One way of looking at important things in life is finding out what you cannot live without. That does not include luxuries like smartphones or computers – it includes the most basic of things such as shelter, health, time, etc. It’s important to understand that these things are uncompromisable.

To experience feelings like happiness, you need to enjoy what you do in life. Therefore, you need to find your interests or things that bring you joy. For me, it can be going out with my friend and chatting about random things. Do you know the feeling that the right people help improve the quality of your life? You need to sort out who are your good friends. This directly impacts your mental health as they will be your support.

To be honest, after quitting my 9-5 job at the end of 2019 and during the pandemic these two years, I start taking myself seriously. I used to focus on working and working and ignore my inner feelings. I read and learn a lot about positive things about life, personal growth, productivity, anything related to a freelance career, etc. Then I realized that I regret not pursuing important things in life earlier.

Starting tomorrow

I always think I have more time than I do. In fact, I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, so the best thing I can do is start making a change today. Spending 5-10 minutes now doing something significant, could help you move one step closer to your dreams.

For example, I plan my first abroad travel in 2023, so I make a plan to save money each month for that big vacation. With each small step, I’ll get closer to achieving my goal, even if it’s just by creating a plan or making an itinerary.

Spending time with family and friends

After graduating from college, I’m too focused on my job and don’t really have time to spend with family or friends. When I have free time, I prefer staying at home because I’m too busy with my office jobs on weekdays, so I need to spend the weekend with my book translation. You know, long hours at work can cause worry and stress. I want to free up more of my time to spend with the people that matter most, but at the same time, I also have responsibilities.

It’s important to balance work-life. This is often easier said than done. However, I found that social connection helps me reduce stress hormones and that keeps me happy. The most important things in life are often the most important people in our life, so make it a priority to spend time with them.

Being humble and appreciating your life

When I was a kid, I like exaggerating things to make myself looks good. Growing up, I realize that is not as important as everyone makes them out to be. I learn that instead of pleasing people, you need to focus on doing what’s best for you. And when you learn to appreciate your life, you don’t complain or boast once you have everything.

Becoming the best version of yourself

We often make life decisions because we think it’s what will make our parents happy. I used to believe my happiness is derived from their happiness. I have a number of things I want to do in my life, but I worry that I don’t have the right to make the decision. I live the life that I think a good daughter should live or what my parents expect of me. And this leads to regret and self-blame.

It was only when I graduated from college I become dissatisfied with my life and start to question my life and if I’m truly focusing on the important things in life. I stay away from negative environments and negative people that can cause self-doubt.

I like being a freelancer rather than working in the office because it gives me the freedom to pick the place and time where I want to work. Even though I’m good at adapting to a new place, but I like spending time alone. Surrounded by many people really exhausted me. That’s why working as a translator brings happiness to me and I’m happy I can use my bilingual to earn more money.

At the moment, I only have one close friend that inspires me to do good things, and that cheers me on. I should make changes in my life because I want to, rather than because of the reaction of someone else.

In life, we often don’t focus on spending enough time figuring out how we can live a happy life. We often let doubt and fear stop us from becoming a better version of ourselves and finding what important things in life we want to pursue. However, it is within us to create that amazing life we want. It means not worrying about what others think or how we will be judged. So, fully trust yourself, start living life purposeful and take more risks in pursuit of your dreams!

So, what important things in life do you regret not pursuing? Share yours below!