If you knew at 20 what you know now

I was with someone last week. This person is going through some severe personal turmoil.
One of his biggest regrets is a decision that he made when he was 20. He often laments how his life would have turned out
if he had made a different decision. I personally, don't think it would be much different.

What about you? If you could go back to your 20 year old self, how different would your life be?

There are a few things I would have changed, but surprisingly not much.

a reply to: JAGStorm

More then anything, do a better job with separating from my ex considering my sons involvement.

Other then that, invest in google and buy bitcoin at $1.50 instead of turning it down like I did.

a reply to: JAGStorm

If I knew then what I know now I think I would be much more cynical than I am today.

I met my husband at 20.

I wouldn't dare change a thing, life's been damn good

a reply to: JAGStorm

That'd be 21 years and 2 kids prior to now.
And I'd still be enlisted in the Army.
My father would be alive still.
Everything in my life was completely different than now.
I have plenty I regret doing or saying from that time on, in my life.
Hindsight being 20/20 and all, I can't know then what I know now.
That said, I can't say I'd make too many changes, what I experienced led me to where I am now, which isn't horrible.
I didn't make too many monumental, "life altering" decisions then. I was just a dumb kid with too much on his plate.
20 is very young. He should have plenty of time to rectify his mistake, so should he choose.
I'm done reconciling my past. I have my kids' future to help build.

My life would have been considerably different, however I suspect the same sorts of challenges would have shown up--just in a different form. You can't regret the decisions you made because how far back do you want to go? There is always a "prior decision."

a reply to: Gravelbone

20 is very young. He should have plenty of time to rectify his mistake, so should he choose.

He is no longer 20, much older now. I agree with your sentiment, there is always more time to turn the ship.

I seriously believe had he made the other choice, his life would not have been too significantly different.

I would be dangerous, I mean like I would probably be having lots (I mean lots) of sex. Sorry to be crude but I often say to myself, if I knew then what I know about women, if I had the confidence I have now I had then I would have been a regular at the local STI clinic. I wasn't a bad looking lad either.

There are other more serious things I would do, when I was in my mid twenties I had a good amount of money that I blew on holidays and stuff looking back I think I could have spent it better. I also think I probably would have switched careers, spent more time with mum before she died (I was 26).

Honestly though I met my wife at 21 so really I doubt that there is much I would want to change, I am happy with life and the mistakes I made and opportunities I let slip by are all probably part of what has lead me to where I am in life and am happy with it. Regrets are an unfortunate reality of life, but it's part of what makes us who we are.

a reply to: JAGStorm


I would throw all of my savings, ~$15,000 into Canopy Growth Corp and become a millionaire within a year. (Stock went from $2 to $65 over the course of 14 months)

Although, money isn't a huge thing to me - I would have definitely gone into CyberSecurity a bit sooner and maybe have had more/better opportunities with it.

As well, I would have given far more time, affection and priority to my ex-lady at the time. It's been 3 years since and I still think about her every day. /regrets

originally posted by: Antipathy17
a reply to: JAGStorm

Other then that, invest in google and buy bitcoin at $1.50 instead of turning it down like I did.

Take that wild ride to 19k and cash out for life. I hear ya on that one

a reply to: JAGStorm

Hindsight is 20/20.

Given my beautiful family, I don't know that I'd really do anything different. When I think about why I want a "do over" often times it is because I feel I'd be in a better place financially (really rich), but at the same time, that would also come with it's own regrets.

I've always been a bit of a loner / introvert. I sometimes wish I would have done something like be a park ranger or studied animals. I sometimes wish I could move out in the middle of nowhere and just be kind of off grid by myself. Roam the country in an RV.

a reply to: JAGStorm

If I knew then, what I know now, I'd have been burned as a witch.

A WITCH!

BURN THE WITCH!

a reply to: Edumakated

It is interesting what you said about being "really rich".

This person i'm talking about is really rich.. but some of what they regret is that the choice they made prevented them
from being REALLLY REALLLLY rich... (We are talking Crazy rich Asian rich) At what point does it really make a difference? I like what you said about that having it's own regrets. I totally believe that.

If you are rich enough to live in a huge house, drive a sports car, and eat anything you want, and have any kind of entertainment. Isn't that rich enough? I think too many people fall into that trap of always wanting more. Never being satisfied with anything. Some people don't realize how perfect their life is, until they lose it.

I'd have spent more time with me Mam, that's all that matters to me! knowing there wouldn't be that much time left, would have helped the sudden blow and prolonged horrible mental/emotional aftermath I went through.

I just consider everything else, growing up. I have to experience it to understand it, good or bad.

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin

I would be dangerous, I mean like I would probably be having lots (I mean lots) of sex. Sorry to be crude but I often say to myself, if I knew then what I know about women, if I had the confidence I have now I had then I would have been a regular at the local STI clinic. I wasn't a bad looking lad either.

I think that is very honest. How many people look at old photos of themselves and think, my Goodness, I didn't realize how hot I was!!! I was scorching, but I had low self esteem and had a boyfriend that did everything in his power to keep me under thumb.

I don't even remember what I knew at 20.

I don't think at age 20 I'd listen to the older, wiser me. Having a good time was about all I cared about.

So yah, I think I'd still be an idiot.

I was 20 forty two years ago. If at 20 I had known what I know now. You see, I was a very shy, and naive young man. I would have invested better, made a lot fewer mistakes, a lot more friends, and slept with a lot more women.

I’m not unhappy with my life as it turned out, but I could have done a little better, a lot earlier and I would be more secure going into retirement.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: JAGStorm

If I knew then, what I know now, I'd have been burned as a witch.

A WITCH!

BURN THE WITCH!

Leave the witches alone. Some of my best friends are witches, bartenders, and working girls.

a reply to: IrateCanadian

Call it 19 years I've known this Woman.
Spent the last 9 years bringing up Her Daughter as my own through thick and thin and life threatening illness for the last 5 years.
Recently split but I'd do it all over again.
You can't buy memories loke those.
And /regrets as well.