How to Start Over Without Regrets

As I forgot to pack a book for the holidays, I bought the first one that seemed interesting at the airport. I have to say that I was sold the moment I read the back cover. It was about a 30-something woman who felt like she couldn’t get anything right in her life and nobody seemed to need her. Even worse, she had the unwanted “skill” to make everyone she loved miserable. Or that she thought. Anyways, the real story starts when she tries to put an end to her life and wakes up in a place called the “Midnight Library” – which is also the title of the book. The librarian of this special library gives her the opportunity to live each and every one of the lives she could have lived if she had taken another decision – big or small.

She gets to know what would have happened if she’d married the boyfriend she left a couple of days before going through the aisle, if she had studied at college, if she had followed her singing career dream… and also if she had just gone out for a coffee with that guy who asked her to, for instance.

Now, I’m not going to disclose which life she chose at the end – or if she decided not to stay alive at all. You’ll have to read the book for that!

I find this subject fascinating. Don’t you? Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could relive all those moments where we stood before a decision? Like, what would have happened if I hadn’t told my dad that I wanted to learn German at the age of 16? Or if he hadn’t searched immediately for a language school that offered German – not very usual in South Spain at that time! Would I have gone to Germany? I’d most likely never met my (German) husband! And I might not even be a mom right now! Or, if I’d have joined that hotel at the Canary Islands that offered me a position to work as an entertainer… Where would I be now? What would I be doing??

Regretting is worthless if you don’t take action to change gears

There are many choices I’ve taken that make me wonder what I’d be doing now if had chosen elsewhere. But at least I know what I don’t regret: I don’t regret quitting the job that was making me miserable in Germany and starting a freelance life.

Although I always knew that I wanted to have customers instead of a boss, I didn’t just quit my job. That’s not my style… I thought things through, made a plan, and calculated my budget. Numbers aren’t my specialty, but yet, I knew how important they were.

What wouldn’t you like to regret in a couple of years? Have you thought about that? Who would you be right now if you’d moved to Paris? Would you be the same person? Would you have moved back? I guess that’s something that you’ll never know, but what stops you from moving to France now?

Look, you might be thinking that you wouldn’t move abroad for anything in the world. I guess what I’m trying to say is that you have the chance to give that dream of yours a second chance. If you didn’t dare to not follow the traditional career path and still regret it, it is most probably a sign that you should try and start that life path of yours that you didn’t take.

Look, if this resonates with you, don’t let it be. Take out your calendar, your planner, or just a piece of paper, and write down the steps that you need to take to start changing gears. Don’t leave it for later. Remember: Regretting is worthless if you don’t take action!