Would Your Older Self Be Happy With You?
There have been multiple studies that ask senior citizens the regrets they have. Most say they worked too hard and didn’t spend enough time with family. Another common theme was they didn’t take the risks they should have. The work one is a challenge because, the person wanted to provide for their family and give them opportunities they may not have had. In order to do that, they had to work hard at the expense of family time. It is a balance that a lot of people struggle with.
My older self would say that I did not take the risks. I followed a pretty secure path. Yes, I did do some things so that my family could have the benefit of them. However, I never took a risky job or moved to an area to try something new. I have moved around but have stayed in pretty much the same line of work.
I did make a decision that went against my desire. I wanted to do a tour in Japan when I was in the Navy, however, my wife at the time had no desire whatsoever in that. She knew I was going to be gone a lot. She wanted to be near her family when I was deployed. I wanted to be selfish and still go, but from a family standpoint it was not best. That issue was many years ago.
How about today? Am I living the life my older self would be proud of? In some ways yes and others no. I still work in an area that is comfortable, but it is good for my family. It seems like things are a zero-sum game, someone wins, and someone loses. I make most of my decisions based on not hurting someone else. Due to actions on my part in the past, I am ok with that. I believe my older self would agree.
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