2019 regrets
A big part of why new year’s resolutions and self-improvement projects never make it beyond January is that we focus on how much better we want the coming year to be, without addressing the things we did in the previous year that caused it to be less-than-perfect. Many of us have started 2020 with the regrets of 2019 weighing on our shoulders. Mistakes and missed opportunities haunt us into the new year and cast a shadow of doubt over our ambitions for the next 12 months.
What do you regret doing? What could you have done better in 2019? What decision did you take in your relationship, family, career or finances that you wish you didn’t? These readers share:
Kenaya, 26, physical therapist:
I took a loan from a microfinancing company to pay off a relative who was hunting me down for some money I owed her. Man! It’s the worst decision I ever made in my adult life. I borrowed $100,000, and between the interest and the extra charges they piled on because I was late one month, I will be paying back more than two times that when I finally pay them off. If I had known I would have just begged my aunt some more time to pay her back.
Jennika, 30, sales representative:
My only regret is that I let fear get in my way so much. There are so many things I wanted to accomplish in 2019 that I would have, if only I wasn’t so afraid of them not working out or in some cases what people would think of me.
Nelissa, 28, teacher:
I regret moving in with my toxic ex. I was in a bit of a jam and needed somewhere to stay so I thought I could just stick it out until better came along, but then everything started going bad for me. I started getting depressed, I lost my side hustle, and my cat died mysteriously.
Michale, 31, trainer:
I regret cheating. My girl left me when she found out, and it’s a girl who really checked for me. Hopefully I can win her back this year.
Talya, 29, PR officer:
I regret spending so much time trying to help people last year and forgetting that I needed to take care of myself first. I wore myself thin and just constantly felt low because I was trying to please everybody. In the end I can’t think of one thing that I truly achieved for myself last year, but a lot of people accomplished things at my expense.
Andre, 36, web analyst:
I regret buying the used car that I did. It’s just been costing me more and more money and I haven’t been able to find a buyer for it as yet. From the looks of things I will have to sell it for less than what I bought it for. Buying it when I could have kept taking the bus was my biggest L in 2019.
Shamona, 34, teacher:
I don’t regret having a second child, but I regret having another child for the man I did. Children can tie you to some people who you should not have in your life at all, especially when it’s more than one, and I’m learning that the hard way.
Tafari, 26, student:
I don’t really live with regrets but if I could undo anything from last year I would ‘un-attend’ all the parties I did and save my money, ‘un-date’ the two girls I did and save my time, and ‘un-drink’ all the liquor I drank and save my liver from some damage.
Kenisha, 25, executive assistant:
I regret procrastinating so much. Looking back, I wasted a lot of time last year doing absolutely nothing but postponing things and worrying about failing. If I used all the time I spent worrying about things not being perfect to just get things done, my year would have been way more productive.
