Americans over 65 share their greatest regret

[Liberal_in_LA]

"I wish I hadn't spent so much of my life worrying."

___
Pillemer launched the Legacy Project in 2004 and asked more than 1,500 Americans over 65 years of age about the most important lessons they learned over the course of their lives. In"30 Lessons for Living" he refers to his subjects as "the experts" because they hold more tried-and-true wisdom than any self-help book or pundit could possibly offer.

Pillemer writes on Quora that he had expected "big-ticket items" like affairs, bad business deals, or addiction as his experts' biggest regrets.

But over and over again he heard versions of "I would have spent less time worrying" and "I regret that I worried so much about everything."

"I found this lesson from the experts to be surprising," Pillemer writes in "30 Lessons for Living." "Given that they had lived through difficult historical periods and great personal tragedies, I thought they might endorse a certain level of worry."
http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Americans-over-65-shared-their-greatest-regret-in-6515805.php

[newfie11]

1. I wish I would have moved to another country years ago nt

[mnhtnbb]

3. Me, too.

We looked at New Zealand in 1994, but the job my husband wanted was taken
by someone from South Africa. Last summer we went to look at retiring to
Bonaire. Couldn't get my husband to do it.

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

7. Yup I should have never returned to this country in the late 80's should have

Stayed in Europe. Been wanting to return to live there pretty much ever since

Still I am hopeful I will find the right job to bring me back or in 10 years I retire and just move back

[bikebloke]

10. I certainly tried.

Easier said than done. My pitfall was not marrying women I didn't feel for (they offered) in order to get residency papers.

[olddots]

2. I wish I had become a doctor , lawyer and an accountant

[antigop]

4. oh, dear lord, what universe do these people live in?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/americans-only-have--1-000-saved-for-retirement-ebri-report-134741117.html

http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/10/pf/emergency_fund/index.htm
Most Americans can't afford a $1,000 emergency expense.

[dembotoz]

11. funny you should say that i have had 3 such emergencies so far this month and it is only the 24th

stuff i had to do

nest egg will need to be rebuilt but i am ok for a bit

sad thing is i have a friend who is basically facing being homeless
my nest egg was partially going to bail her out.
i had not mentioned that to her but now i feel like a dick

would have her move in here for a while but she has this big damn dog that is her life....
and where is live has dog size restrictions and the condo nazis are everywhere.....

month from hell

[antigop]

12. so sorry. I hope things get better for you and your friend. nt

[Romulox]

5. Americans over 65 ("Baby Boomers") lived through the greatest economic expansion in history.

And they left a country in ruins to their children and grandchildren.

Glad they're "not worried", though.

[Munificence]

6. No, it was not

an "economic expansion" from those boomers. It was a "let's create as much debt as possible so we live the good life". Worst self-absorbed generation ever. Me, me, me.

Thanks boomers for screwing the rest of us...you selfish bastards.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

14. In my day all we had to blame all our problems on were disease and commies.

And We Liked It.

[treestar]

8. It doesn't do much good

But it's human nature.

[closeupready]

9. I definitely have many regrets, but also many successes that

give me great satisfaction when I reflect upon them. Other times, I regret mistakes that, later, I reconsider as good moves.

Usually when I look back, I have to consider my choices in context, because I find almost always that there was a very good reason AT THE TIME why I did what I did, and why I refused to do what I could have done.

As to my biggest regrets, I'll think about it, and post back in.

Ok, here's one:

I regret declining an invitation to meet Julia Child. Not a regret that is exactly earth-shattering, but I've met some important, accomplished, and fascinating people in my life (princes and princesses, tycoons, officials, blockbuster screenwriters, etc.), but almost never within a context in which I was 'granted an audience'.

[Ichingcarpenter]

13. The Transitory existence of our lives

Tells us that there are many ways of living between the being and many ways of being between the living. Avoid putting the totality of your reality in a finite of an absolute.


Which is the conundrum of the road we must travel on.

Regrets? I've had a few..... and then again
Sinatra sang it well.But myway was part of my problem.