I have a pretty good life. I'm not bragging or trying to compare myself with others. Overall, I can't complain about the course my life has taken and where I have ended up.
I do have some regrets though, just like most people. These four items are...I wouldn't say my biggest regrets...but a few I keep coming back to when I see the success of others.
1. Investing/money matters - I am terrible at financial matters and really wish I had invested in something when I was younger. If a major event would to hit me, I most likely would be ruined financially. I don't have much of a nest egg built up. I feel bad occasionally asking for help from others to help get my feet back on the ground. By no means do I wish I was rich but I would like to be more financially secure.
2. Learning a sport - In school I hated P.E. class and was often the last or second to last to be picked for team sports. I admire people who can play sports and even those who are passionate about a sport. There are a few athletes I admire. But I could never get myself to actively go out and get involved. It seems to me that I was often tired, why make myself more worn out by playing sports or engaging in strenuous activities? Later, I now wish I had chosen a sport as a hobby, just something else to give me something to do and relax. I would never consider entering competitions or such but playing a sport to pass the time and have fun is something I wish I had done. If I could choose a sport, it would be archery. It's solitary but still requires skill. Although, I sometimes wonder at modern archery equipment with all the scopes and stabilizers and such. Whatever happened to old fashioned Robin Hood-style shooting? I think I'd prefer the simple approach.
3. Playing an instrument - My father played the alto sax and my wife plays the piano. I once tried to learn the guitar but gave up on it. I even tried the Irish tin whistle. I never took any professional classes and now it seems a lot of people around me are musically inclined. If I were to pick up an instrument now it would be the violin. I've listened to more violin music lately and enjoy it. I don't have the stamina for wind instruments and tons of people play the guitar. A violin is pleasant, small, and portable.
4. Writing at an earlier age - You probably saw this one coming but I wish I had started writing earlier. Over the course of my life it seems my dream jobs––wanting to be a comic book artist, film director, screenplay writer––all involved telling stories. After learning of the self-publishing boom that was already well underway, I finally realized how much I enjoy writing. I simply wished I had realized this earlier.
There you have it folks; here are 4 items I wish I could tell my younger self to do. As always, thanks for reading.
