It’s common to think about what the most important things in life are. We all seek to align ourselves with things that truly matter and that will ultimately add to our happiness and fulfillment.
How we set ourselves up to create a life well-lived versus a life half-lived is often more about the regrets we have over the things we failed to do rather than the things we actually did.
We regret more not becoming our ideal selves or the person we truly wanted to be. We regret living an unfulfilled life. We regret living in fear and not having the courage to focus on the things and people that truly matter most.
What is important in life, really? With that question in mind, we’ll take a look at the things most people regret not pursuing and how to live a life grounded in what really matters
What is Really Important in Life?
Anything in life that helps you achieve your goals and fulfill your responsibilities is what is really important in life. In most cases, answers you get to ‘what is really important in life?’ are often based on the individual but that is not the case. The important things in life relate to you and to those for who you are responsible.
One way of looking at important things in life is finding out what you cannot live without. Sadly, this does not include luxuries, it includes the most basic of things such as health, shelter, time, companions, etc.
“It’s important to know what really matters in life. Your sanity; your health; your family; and the ability to start anew.” – Les Brown
It is important to understand that these things are uncompromisable. Whatever you do in life, you protect what’s important at all costs. This is because life’s uncertainty can be harsh at times, and one must always have someone or something to rely on. Prioritizing what’s important in life helps you stay true to yourself.
Deciding What Is Important in Life
“Know what matters most to you and be unwilling to compromise those priorities at almost any price.”- Frank Sonnenberg
When deciding what’s important in life, there can be a lot of confusing things to choose from. Here are some simple ways in which you can determine what’s most important:
Pick the People That Matter Most
The right people help improve the quality of your life. You need to sort out who are your good friends and which family members have been there for you throughout the years. This directly impacts your mental health as they will be your support and encouragement.
Assessing the Skills, Talents, and Hobbies You Have
Another very important thing to pick what is important is to know how skilled you are in it and if you enjoy doing it. You may have multiple hobbies that you wish to pursue, but maybe you only have the option to be spending time with one of them. Knowing your skills, talents, and hobbies helps you get your daily schedule straight.
Take the Opinion of a Loved One
Sometimes the best opinions to make decisions of a fulfilling life come from your loved ones. This is because they know a lot about you and are actively invested in your well-being. They want you to enjoy life, so whenever you feel like you can’t sort your own priorities try asking for some advice.
Find Things You Enjoy Doing
To experience feelings like happiness and fulfillment, you need to enjoy what you do in life. To enjoy life, you need to have long-term interests in things that bring you joy. Be it exercising for a healthy body, painting, going on walks, or even personal maintenance. Afford a handful of carefully chosen luxuries that are the icing of your life.
Think About What You’ve Lost
Lastly, to find out what’s important you have to think about what you’ve lost and how you survived it. You must be able to differentiate things you were dependent on from those that you require on a daily basis. If you find yourself in a situation where you’re about to lose something that you survived in the past, then exercise control over your emotions and know you’ll survive without it.
What We Regret Most?
People regret their inactions more than their actions in the long term. Not falling in love, not hanging out with good friends, and not working toward a healthy body are just a couple of common themes.
Maybe you never started writing that book despite your love for writing. Perhaps you haven’t set up your own dream business because you were afraid of what people would think if you actually tried.
The thing is, taking action is the first step to ensure you avoid regrets. Confidence comes with taking action. Making a commitment to follow through and then having the courage to do it builds the momentum.
“I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.” -Jeff Bezos
Research has found that people are haunted more by regrets about failing to fulfill their hopes, goals, and aspirations than by regrets about failing to fulfill their duties, obligations, and responsibilities