what's your biggest regret in life?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being born, though obviously not my choice.

y'ouch!

[Anonymous]

buying a home in my early 20s during the bubble, then buying another home in 2007. I am now a landlord not by choice. Although both properties are in mclean they still have a long way to go before I can break even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not finishing college.

+1, I had so much potential and could have gone on to great career accomplishments but I blew it, got lazy and quit. Now I have responsibilities and there is no money or time for a do over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only one real regret in 45 years: not going abroad to live in another country and learn another language when I had the chance to in college.

Yes. Except I'm 38. I was afraid to leave college and my friends -- don't know why exactly as I had left my hometown and friends there for college. I think I would've really enriched my life by doing so. As a result, I've told DH that we're taking the expat route after the kids leave home.

[Anonymous]

1. Abortion at 16. I know it was the best option at the time but I regret putting myself in that situation.
2. Not getting my teeth fixed when I could afford it.
3. Marrying my husband. I love him but he is NOT "The One" and I've known this all along.
4. Not going to grad school.
5. Not saving. I spent as much as I made until I got married and because of that, we will probably be living in an apartment for a looonnnggg time.

[Anonymous]

Not getting my depression and anxiety treated sooner. But I can't really blame myself for that as it's part of the disease. I wish my parents had realized how depressed I was throughout middle and high school though.

Reading all of these makes me want to print this out and share it with my sones when they get to be teenagers. I love the honesty.

[Anonymous]

Not giving a couple of women a chance who were worth getting to know. I'm not just talking about the sex part either. But their general intelligence, view of the world, ability to be friendly and easy to talk to, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not getting my depression and anxiety treated sooner. But I can't really blame myself for that as it's part of the disease. I wish my parents had realized how depressed I was throughout middle and high school though.

Reading all of these makes me want to print this out and share it with my sones when they get to be teenagers. I love the honesty.

You are me. I am so hard on myself even though I know that bad decisions I made can be partly due to this. Not only do I have a chemical disposition to depression and anxiety, but my older sister ran away when I was 16 and my grandmother died when I was 18, which really put me over the edge but nobody else realized this. I am much more observant of my children than my parents ever were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My absolute biggest regret is my total and absolute failure as a mother to my oldest son. I have failed him by all of my standards. I push him too hard. I'm too demanding. I'm too critical. I have continually failed to meet him where his is academically emotionally, physically--his entire life. I regret that he has me for a mother. He deserves a better, kinder, more forgiving, more accepting mother. I am trying every day to be a better mom to him--but every year, as I look back I feel I have gotten worse and worse. He is only 12. I have tried therapy on and off for years. I will again. I am almost wild with grief that there are only 3 weeks left of summer and then we are back to our eternal battle ground issue: school.

Here's a total well-intentioned recommendation from a BTDT stranger: pls consider sending your child to a boarding high school while you work out your issues. Best of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not getting my depression and anxiety treated sooner. But I can't really blame myself for that as it's part of the disease. I wish my parents had realized how depressed I was throughout middle and high school though.

Reading all of these makes me want to print this out and share it with my sones when they get to be teenagers. I love the honesty.

Same here for the depression and anxiety. I had insomnia at age 8. It's a miracle I didn't commit suicide in high school (I tried and STILL never got counseling). Once I started on SSRI's after college, I was like, OH, THIS is what it's supposed to feel like! My brain was finally quiet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not getting my depression and anxiety treated sooner. But I can't really blame myself for that as it's part of the disease. I wish my parents had realized how depressed I was throughout middle and high school though.

Reading all of these makes me want to print this out and share it with my sones when they get to be teenagers. I love the honesty.

Same here for the depression and anxiety. I had insomnia at age 8. It's a miracle I didn't commit suicide in high school (I tried and STILL never got counseling). Once I started on SSRI's after college, I was like, OH, THIS is what it's supposed to feel like! My brain was finally quiet.

OP here. The worst (aside from realizing how much of my life went missing due to this disease) is forgiving myself for how I've treated others while depressed and anxious. I've been a terrible employee, a snippy mom, an absent spouse. It's hard to let that go and I wish more than anything that I didn't have to live with that guilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having children so young (teen Mom).

My cousin was a teen mom, and I am SO jealous of her skinny figure (at 46) and her freedom! Now, she did get married and all that jazz, and there were hardships she faced, but man does she look good!

I, on the other hand, look my age.

I bet you look good, too, PP.

Um, did she ever get an education? Who cares how you look at 46?

Please stop being so judgmental. Yes, I do hold a degree. I'm also married to the man who is the father of that child (and the next 3 we have together). Absent a one-year "break", we've been together for 18 years; married for almost 11.

And yes, original pp...I think I look pretty great for my age and the # of children I have (32/4). Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I change profession late in life. I wish I had started in college, but did not know anything about it.

[Anonymous]

I should've nailed my college crush when I had the chance. Now we're both married to other people. Oh, well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I should've nailed my college crush when I had the chance. Now we're both married to other people. Oh, well.

+1