One of the key principles for living life either Up or Getting Up (But Never Down) is living life with no regrets. The most important element of this principle is that it is a life-long endeavor. When I talk about “No Regrets”, I am talking about a lifetime of no regrets. This is a practiced skill, which simply means that the more you focus on living life with no regrets, the better you get at it.
Your journey to a life of no regrets consists of focusing on, getting control of, and managing to three elements. Those three elements are:
- Getting control of the here and now
- Securing your future
- Engaging with and enjoying your life
The first step is to get control of the here and now. You have responsibilities and things that need your attention on a daily basis. You have bills to pay, job responsibilities, groceries to buy, a car (or two) to maintain, (potentially) kids and/or a spouse that needs you, and so much more. To maintain a life of no regrets (and to remain Up or Getting Up), we need to gain and maintain an element of control over our daily life. With so much on your plate, it is so easy for things to go spiraling out of control. While there are many elements in our life that must be managed, one of the most significant areas that can affect our overall UP attitude is our personal finances. In our world today, finances can get out of control very quickly. While a certain amount of debt is necessary for most of us, over-extended debt can, and will, lead to regrets. There is a lot of available help on this subject, but I have two favorite books for getting your financial house under control.
The Four Laws of Debt-Free Prosperity - by Blaine Harris
The Wealthy Barber - by David Chilton
The second step for living life with no regrets, is to Secure Your Future. Once you have the here-and-now under control, you need to focus on securing your future for retirement. God willing, you will spend two decades or more in your “post work” life. Failure to adequately prepare for this wonderful part of your life will undoubtedly result in regrets.
The key to securing your future is to take advantage of any retirement program your employer offers (if any) and to practice the greatest piece of advice ever offered when it comes to securing your future: Pay Yourself First. Too many people hold a philosophy of “I will do my best to manage my expenses this month and save whatever I have left.” Not a good plan. This philosophy puts “you” as your lowest priority! Make yourself your top priority. 401k plans and other employer-sponsored retirement plans do this automatically for you. Whether or not you have any retirement offerings, most employers offer the ability to “split” your paycheck. Take advantage of this easy method for carving off 10% of your pay and depositing it directly in to a savings account and putting the rest in whatever account you normally use to live on.
Finally, the third step to living life with no regrets is to Engage and Enjoy Life. We all know “someday” people. These are people who have lots of dreams and desires that they will do “someday.” Unfortunately, “someday” is not guaranteed in our life and too many times our “somedays” never happen. I can’t do everything I would like to do in life (I have a HUGE wishlist), because it would be a financial drain and impact my ability to secure my future. The result of that would be regrets in my retirement years. On the other hand, if I put off everything, my enjoyment of life now suffers and result in regrets now. The key is to find balance between making a living and living your life. As I stated at the top of this article, it is a practiced skill that you will get better at as you focus and put energy into finding balance.
It is important to recognize that engaging with life doesn’t necessarily mean spending a lot, or any, money. Going hiking in a state park, riding a bike, planning a family game night, or even Geocaching are all low/no cost ways of having fun, enjoying life, and deepening meaningful relationships. Do a quick search of “Low cost ways to have fun” on the internet and see what all pops up!
Living life with no regrets is essential to being Up or Getting Up (But Never Down). It takes energy and focus, but you are worth the time and energy it takes. Remember, the more you practice living life with no regrets, the better you will get at it. Start today and create an amazing life for yourself!
I hope this finds you Up or Getting Up (But Never Down).
God Bless,
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