Save Yourself From Your Future Regrets!!!

It has been exactly 2 months since I last wrote a blog post, and absolutely nothing is the same. In this short span of time, I have taken 6 courses (most people don't even take this many during a three-month period) and completed a very time-consuming and rather stressful list of pre-reqs for nursing school. This includes immunization shots and a hell of a lot of blood work. The nurse asked me which shoulder she should use for the shot, and I actually had to go over which would be the best option (my upper left arm has already suffered pain from last week's shot and my right antecubital has experienced bruising from blood work). Yes, I did indeed use the anatomical term for the front of my elbow. Thank you summer anatomy physiology course.

This hectic life of mine got me thinking (of course after it was all over with- there was absolutely no time to think/ponder about anything unrelated to nutrition, anatomy physiology or microbiology)- what does all of this mean? The stress, the hours spent studying, all of the many times I had to turn down opportunities to do something fun with my friends (during the freaking summer, which wasn't really much of a break so I won't call it exactly that). I know I need all this stuff for nursing school, and of course I have to go to nursing school because that is the career I chose... yada yada yada...

But when it's all said and done and I'm a nurse and 30 years old or whatever... how will I view all of this? Yes, I will be happy I have a job and obviously that is a major deal, but this commitment means I can't fully commit to other things in my life. It means I'm spending majority of my time doing nursing-related stuff... which means I'll be missing out on other things.

And that scares me.

I have been reading a lot of articles about what 30-year-olds would like to say to their 20-year-old selves, and what things people will regret tremendously in 10 years from now- not because I'm delving into this fear and trying to save myself, but because they've sort of been popping up in emails and on Facebook (is this the universe trying to tell me something?)

The two that I read that I enjoyed:
This and That!

I always love these kinds of reads because they provide a lot of valuable information from people of other walks of life. They provide information that I would not know otherwise. How would I, as a 20-year-old, know what I can do over the next 10 years to lessen the chances of my regretting something major? How could I even know or predict what I may possibly regret? Like letting fear control my decisions, or not giving enough credit to my failures (I wouldn't want only to realize when I am older that failures could've been viewed in a more positive way, or realize that they did indeed end up making me a stronger person). Or maybe not giving enough attention to my friends and not cultivating my friendships (not looking at the busy times in my life- but rather when I actually do have the time and don't take the opportunity to inquire about them). Or that I may regret not reading more? Or that maybe it is actually better to trust people and give them all the trust you got until they give you a reason not to.

Being that I am trying to be a more proactive person, this is one of the major aspects of my life that I am trying to focus more attention towards- making the right decisions AT THE RIGHT TIME.

With the small things too. After reading the part about cultivating relationships, I texted some of my closest friends and wished them good luck with school (or I just texted them something really random/silly, because who wouldn't appreciate that?). I realized that being that friend is important and I should make sure I let them know that I'm thinking of them. Because isn't that how people fall out of friendship? Time apart and not making enough of an effort to get together or see how they're doing? And then people regret not putting in more effort or wish they were still friends with those people? Na, I ain't going that path.

I decided to make a list of things that I want to start doing. Cultivating my relationships is one of them. Spending more time doing things that I KNOW for a FACT I will one day regret not putting more time towards (Youtube videos, blogging). And especially things that I would not have thought of beforehand (the little things that make life simply nicer) like going on more early-morning walks (when the sun just came up and there is fog on the ground and the air is cool and crisp), giving my younger siblings more attention (not that they need it, but I should give them more attention and offer to help with homework even if they won't end up needing it because one day I may look back and feel that maybe I should've spent more time with them when we all lived in the same house. And what better way is there to spend with someone you love, than by helping them?)

I think of all the little things I enjoy now that I might not be able to enjoy in the future. I think of all the things I KNOW I should spend more time towards, but that I don't because "life gets in the way" and "I get caught up doing other things." Well, nothing is worth the place of saving yourself from potentially feeling regretful. Nothing. Because other things can change/be mended, but the past cannot be altered. And time is of the essence. I constantly think this to myself. One can have tons of money, smarts, friends, etc. But if you don't consider the time that you have with all of those things/people, then simply having those things doesn't mean much. If you have the money to go on vacation and friends to hang out with, and don't make time for that vacation or your friends- then what good are they? With time - things come and go. Time is a measurement- a measurement of how much you've grown, how much you've accomplished, etc. Time is also a continuum- once the time is passed or over, there is no getting it back. Take it seriously and don't take it for granted. 

Imagine yourself ten years from now. What do you see?
What have you accomplished?
What do you miss about your past (which is now, because you are just imagining)?
What do you wish you spent more time doing?

Really consider all of these questions. Write down your thoughts. Make your own list.

To a future of much success and happiness.