A recent survey of 2,000 U.S. adults split evenly by generation found that only 11% of Americans don't have regrets. Between not speaking up (40%), not visiting family or friends enough (36%), and not pursuing their dreams (35%), those bad decisions add up.
In fact, a third (32%) of Baby Boomers have a regret that spans three decades and still crosses their minds an average of three times per month.
So, in an attempt to see what kinds of choices weigh heaviest on people's minds, we gathered a list of honest, anonymous confessions from around the internet. Some are heartbreaking, some are funny in hindsight, and a few are the kind of stories that make you pause and reevaluate your own path.
#21
I don't need to think hard about this one at all. My biggest mistake is thinking a lump in my breast was just "nothing" and would go away on its own. Took me months before I went to the doctor and by that time it was too late. The resulting mental breakdown destroyed the people closest to me and I just can't forgive myself for it.
I'm still alive only by the grace of modern cancer treatment progression. I was supposed to be dead a few years ago, but I'm still kicking a*s, in remission, and starting to rebuild my life. It's been a journey I wouldn't wish on my worst enemies.
I'm still alive only by the grace of modern cancer treatment progression. I was supposed to be dead a few years ago, but I'm still kicking a*s, in remission, and starting to rebuild my life. It's been a journey I wouldn't wish on my worst enemies.
27points
#22
I had a friend reach out to me to hang out and buy some pot, back in 2015. I was pretty f****d up, so I ignored that text and figured I'd chill with him the next day.
He hung himself that night. I'm not self-centered enough to think that I could have been a deciding factor, but d**n, I think about it a lot. What if I had just said okay and gone over that night? Maybe he'd still be alive.
He hung himself that night. I'm not self-centered enough to think that I could have been a deciding factor, but d**n, I think about it a lot. What if I had just said okay and gone over that night? Maybe he'd still be alive.
25points
#23
Quitting college to take a management promotion at my fast food job.
23points
#24
Dropping out of college, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
23points
#25
Ignoring depression for a couple decades and convincing myself that it wasn't chemical, but that my life just sucked.
23points
#26
Serving a mission for the Mormon church.
Was two years long, and my personality/social skills are pretty bad making it a terrible two years where I didn't help whatsoever. I did it right after high school, so every girl I liked was married with kids by the time I got back (and I mean every girl), and a lot of my friends were now two years ahead of me in college. Its an awkward gap in my employment record that I've had to explain in job interviews (had a job in high school). I didn't even stay in the Mormon church as of a couple years afterwords. So now I have these frustrating memories of trying to help that church grow. Even when I do have a story from the mission that I want to share, I always disguise the setting. I can hardly stand scrolling through my Facebook news feed, since half my friends are either missionaries I knew or Mormons from back in the day. I never did go to college because I felt too old. Oh and I suffer from anxiety and depression. It was the worst two years, and it won't go away.
Was two years long, and my personality/social skills are pretty bad making it a terrible two years where I didn't help whatsoever. I did it right after high school, so every girl I liked was married with kids by the time I got back (and I mean every girl), and a lot of my friends were now two years ahead of me in college. Its an awkward gap in my employment record that I've had to explain in job interviews (had a job in high school). I didn't even stay in the Mormon church as of a couple years afterwords. So now I have these frustrating memories of trying to help that church grow. Even when I do have a story from the mission that I want to share, I always disguise the setting. I can hardly stand scrolling through my Facebook news feed, since half my friends are either missionaries I knew or Mormons from back in the day. I never did go to college because I felt too old. Oh and I suffer from anxiety and depression. It was the worst two years, and it won't go away.
23points
#27
Law School. I'll be paying back the loans for 20+ years. I don't even want to be a lawyer anymore but I can't afford not to be.
22points
#28
Everything so far. I’m so unhappy with who I am and where I am. And I feel as though it may be too late to turn it around.
22points
#29
Not marrying the love of my life. I'm only 26 but I had been with her for the better part of 7 years. I purposed after the first year because I knew she was the only girl for me. I even asked her father for permission. I got cold feet and we didn't get married.. one thing happened after another and now I find myself 3000 miles away from her and single. I miss her everyday. I should've married that girl
21points
#30
Waiting so long before seeking help for my mental health issues. I silently struggled for well over a decade before deciding that enough was enough.
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21points
#31
Developing an eating disorder. I'm 19 and half of my life has been in hospitals, avoiding food, and hating my body. The other half is holding it all together, or trying to.
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19points
#32
I went on a second date with a guy I didn't like because my on again off again highschool boyfriend blew me off to hang out with another girl. I wanted to make him jealous.
Instead I ended up spending two years being beaten and r***d and I dropped out of college. I had hopes and dreams and I destroyed all of them when I fell for the guy's "nice guy" act.
Instead I ended up spending two years being beaten and r***d and I dropped out of college. I had hopes and dreams and I destroyed all of them when I fell for the guy's "nice guy" act.
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19points
#33
Basing decisions about my life on what other people think.
Always make sure you are making decisions based on what YOU want in life, it may be hard but it is so worth it. not only can it save you time in terms of years wasted doing something you don't like, but also money and most importantly, your **own emotional health and well being.** Constantly worrying about what other people think of you is not only distracting for you're career and personal development, but it can be discouraging and damaging.
Know what you want in life, and make decisions to help yourself get you there.
Have a great day!
Always make sure you are making decisions based on what YOU want in life, it may be hard but it is so worth it. not only can it save you time in terms of years wasted doing something you don't like, but also money and most importantly, your **own emotional health and well being.** Constantly worrying about what other people think of you is not only distracting for you're career and personal development, but it can be discouraging and damaging.
Know what you want in life, and make decisions to help yourself get you there.
Have a great day!
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19points
#34
I'm pretty sure I'm making it right now by wasting my life away, but I can't think of anything better to do, so here we are.
18points
#35
Trying to join the military. I shipped off to boot camp completely unprepared and they chewed me alive for 12 weeks straight. I was held back in training twice, covered in bruises from the training, and pulled every muscle in both legs and my left shoulder. One recruit looked at my bruises and told me I looked like a battered child. I was in constant pain and they didn't care. I became so sick I had mucus coming out of my eye and I practically drowned every night on my own phlegm. They didn't care. They told me I was in pain because I wasn't drinking enough water then they got mad that I had to pee all the time. I was punished when I did things wrong and punished when I did things right and after a while I developed anxiety. I was terrified of anyone who held rank higher than E-2 and started having panic attacks. Even then they didn't care until I gave my squadmates a preemptive apology. I wasn't s******l and I don't think I would've hurt anyone, but I was losing my grip on reality and I was terrified that I would lose control.
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18points
#36
I'll honestly never know if it was a mistake, but I flipped a coin to decide whether to go to college or leave home and hike the Appalachian Trail.
Heads I went to college and spent the next four (ended up being five) years working on a degree. Tails I grabbed my already-packed gear and went on an adventure.
It landed on heads.
College led to job which led to responsibilities. I still camp on the Trail, but my hopes of doing a through-hike are mostly behind me. I'm not as young and spry as I used to be and those responsibilities require a constant paycheck.
I recognize anything could have happened if it landed on tails. I could have wimped out half-way through or less, then gone right back home to do the college thing. I could have finished, been proud of myself and then gotten a job. I could have also had a life-changing adventure. Or I could have been eaten by a bear.
I'll never know, but I do wonder.
Heads I went to college and spent the next four (ended up being five) years working on a degree. Tails I grabbed my already-packed gear and went on an adventure.
It landed on heads.
College led to job which led to responsibilities. I still camp on the Trail, but my hopes of doing a through-hike are mostly behind me. I'm not as young and spry as I used to be and those responsibilities require a constant paycheck.
I recognize anything could have happened if it landed on tails. I could have wimped out half-way through or less, then gone right back home to do the college thing. I could have finished, been proud of myself and then gotten a job. I could have also had a life-changing adventure. Or I could have been eaten by a bear.
I'll never know, but I do wonder.
16points
#37
Not going out and dating and doing sports while in my 20s.
I was reading books instead. It was still awesome. But now I am a bit pudgy and socially awkward and alone.
I am still not going out and still not doing sports. I do date. Now and then. Reading is still awesome. I just need to eat less chocolate.
I was reading books instead. It was still awesome. But now I am a bit pudgy and socially awkward and alone.
I am still not going out and still not doing sports. I do date. Now and then. Reading is still awesome. I just need to eat less chocolate.
16points
#38
When my ex told me, "I'm not good for you and I'm going to ruin your life", I should have believed him.
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16points
#39
Wasting so much time on video games and other forms of media and entertainment.
13points
#40
In the mid 2000s I used to work a call centre job while finishing up uni. It was a startup fintech type job. People got promoted quickly and they paid above minimum wage. But I was naive and didn't realize how backstabby some people could be to get ahead.
I carpooled with who I thought was a friend until he started secretly recording our conversations in the car to curry favor with my managers. Thinking I was safe I was honest about my feelings about certain things at work and sure enough he played the recordings to my bosses and soon after I noticed a change In how I was being treated.
They let me go with severance when I caught on to the fact that I was being asked to train my replacement.
This led to about 10 months of unemployment with employment insurance and me finding a much better paying job. It was a blow but I learned from it and I'm glad I'm not stuck in what is ultimately a dead end call centre job, no matter how they spin job titles.
I carpooled with who I thought was a friend until he started secretly recording our conversations in the car to curry favor with my managers. Thinking I was safe I was honest about my feelings about certain things at work and sure enough he played the recordings to my bosses and soon after I noticed a change In how I was being treated.
They let me go with severance when I caught on to the fact that I was being asked to train my replacement.
This led to about 10 months of unemployment with employment insurance and me finding a much better paying job. It was a blow but I learned from it and I'm glad I'm not stuck in what is ultimately a dead end call centre job, no matter how they spin job titles.
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11points
