30 Times Adults Over 30 Should Have Known Better But Still Made These Mistakes

Living a life with no regrets whatsoever is next to impossible. Feeling regret is a very human emotion. It means that we still probably haven’t learned the lessons we were meant to.

However, as consultant Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., writes on Psychology Today, research is quite clear on one thing. Broadly speaking, people most often regret not doing something rather than doing something. Taking that to heart, making a mistake and learning from it is far better than never having had the courage to try.

In some cases, however, it’s better to be prudent instead of rushing headlong into something risky. Whatever the case might be, ask yourself whether you’ll regret (not) doing something before you make a decision.

According to Davis, it’s through accepting negative emotions like regret that we deal with them and then move on. Regret is what motivates us to correct our behavior so we don’t feel the same emotions again.

In the United States, the most common regrets among adults include missed educational and romantic opportunities, unwise romantic adventures, not spending enough time with loved ones, rushing into something too soon, and failing to “seize the moment.”

As we’ve recently covered on Bored Panda, as we grow older and our bodies change, it becomes more challenging for us to learn new information and skills. This is because our brain’s ability to form new neural connections, known as neuroplasticity, slows down. On top of that, the hippocampus (which we need to form memories) shrinks, cognitive functions are reduced as the blood flow to the brain decreases, and neurotransmitter systems can decline.

However, this doesn’t make learning impossible. Our bodies and brains adapt. And the more we take care of both of them, the better off we’ll be. Our brains are akin to muscles in that the more we practice learning, the better at it we’ll be.

Aside from getting the basics like sleep, nutrition, and exercise right, you can also keep your brain in tip-top shape by carving out time for learning and new experiences.

You could, for instance, sign up for online or in-person courses to learn a new skill or sharpen an old one. But education doesn’t have to be so formal. You can listen to podcasts, meet new people, travel somewhere you’ve never been… Even making a meal you’ve never attempted before can spark new life in your mind and your life.