If I Had My Time Over...*

*This is a collaborative post*

There are things we probably all wish we could do differently given half a chance. Something you wish you’d said but perhaps words failed you in the moment. Something you know you shouldn’t have done but did and now can’t retract. Or maybe something you wish you’d done if only you could rewind the clock…

Here are a few of mine.

1. I count myself very lucky that I got to spend as much time as I did with my nanna. She was a hugely influential person in my life and I thought the world of her, but my one regret is that I didn’t insist on a wheelchair when she stopped being able to get out and about. As her body started to fail her, she became more or less housebound. Always one to hate having to rely on others, frightened of being a nuisance, she would no doubt have protested at this, but her quality of life was so important to me and I genuinely think it could have made a huge difference to her in her last few years.

A wheelchair would have meant we could have had another few trips to Marks and Sparks for lunch, perusing the shops at our favourite time of year – Christmas. It would have enabled her to get out instead of being confined to the four walls of her bungalow even if it was just nipping to the supermarket with me.

Truth be told I didn’t even know that just anyone could buy a wheelchair. I thought it was something you had to request via the NHS. It’s only now I’ve come across Millercare that I’ve learnt it could have been an option. Hindsight and all that…

2. I wish I hadn’t cut my hair off. It’s taking ages to grow back! I’m loving Perrie Edwards’ new look from Little Mix!

3. I wish I’d never maxed out my credit cards or opened a Very account. I regret getting myself into debt, lending money to people I cared about when I never really had the funds to give in the first place. Thankfully I’ve learned my lesson and am now on a debt management plan.

4. I wish I hadn’t said some of the things I have to particular people. We’ve all been there no doubt. But the word after it’s spoken cannot be taken back no matter how hard you try and sometimes it can have long term consequences and end up damaging friendships or relationships permanently.

There are of course many other decisions I’ve made and sometimes I wonder now if I made the right choices. For instance, should I have quit university? And what if I hadn’t, would I now be a qualified staff nurse? How different would my life be? Would I be happier? If I was nursing, would I even have started this blog? But then I tell myself no Justine. That decision was right for me at that time of my life and therefore I should have no regrets. Hindsight isn’t always helpful for yourself granted, but if the things you’ve learnt can help prevent others from making the same mistakes then I’m a believer in sharing!

*Images from Pexels and Millercare