On Regret

I read other blogs and kept seeing the tag “DP Challenge”. Not knowing what it was, I came across WordPress’ Daily Prompt blog and, as the title suggests, offers daily topic prompts. Here is my first.

Everyone has those moments where they rehearse in their minds the 43 things they wish they’d said in the heat of an argument. Little regrets, big regrets – it’s probably safe to say if we are over the age of 12, we probably have at least one. While I like to look at the should-have-saids, should-have-dones, and wish-I-hadn’ts as learning moments, there is one thing I do regret:

I wish I had figured out who I was sooner.

Over the past few years, between birthing minions and military moves, I have become more me. I shed excess weight, I have focused on fitness and my family, I practice writing, I have a paid-for writing gig (ACK! Still love that!), practice gratitude, etc., but I also cut out garbage. As more positive things have been incorporated into my life, more of the petty and unimportant seemed to leave.  Friendships and relationships changed, as I changed. Some were outgrown completely.

While some say “now is right on time” and “everything happens for a reason,” I do wish I could have figured some of this out sooner. I wish I hadn’t been so afraid to try, afraid of what people think.  (Although, it may seem as though I’ve swung in the opposite direction by laying it out there!) I look at my children and want so much for them to be confident and not afraid like I was.

Perhaps figuring out who you are isn’t about timing.

Just that it happens.