From The Confessional: People Are Getting Candid About Their Regrets In Life

Lots of things have changed during this weird twilight zone time period of seemingly endless quarantine. So much Netflix. So many board games. So. Much. Family. Time. And for many of us who can’t sleep at night as we stress about what the world is going to look like once we’re allowed to venture out again, it’s also a time to ponder our life choices. Because who doesn’t enjoy lying awake at 2 a.m. beating yourself up over dating that loser in college? Fun times.

So, if you let regrets plague your mind, if you wish you could go back and do things differently—whether it’s a big decision like marriage, motherhood, or a career path, or something less severe like flipping your shit when your SO leaves their shoes in the living room for the 92nd time this week …

… You should definitely check out our confessional, because chances are someone else out there has similar regrets.

Ugh, sex regrets are the worst. Here are some others about the big stuff, like marriage, careers, and moving. Hopefully, even if you’re living with regret, you can find a silver lining as you sift through the muck.

Confessional #25770750

“Skipping motherhood is the only thing in my life that I do not regret. I regret everything else. My marriage, my career, everything.”

Confessional #25759383

“I love my kids more than anything but I regret becoming a SAHM. Not because of them but because how my husband runs and controls our finances.”

Confessional #25752097

“I was on board and excited to move to a bigger city for DHs job. But now I think it might be a mistake. Ugh my heart.”

Parenting regrets are pretty standard. I mean, is there anyone out there who actually says, “I am nailing this motherhood gig. 100% success rate, every minute of every day”…? Likely no. We’re all floundering and screwing up our kids, right? So listen, if you are truly doing your best with your little (or big) humans, so give yourself some grace.

Confessional #25758442

“I didn’t believe the child therapist when she said the biggest mistake she sees in her practice is parents babying their toddlers instead of using that period to teach them social norms. Now I have a spoiled rotten 5 yr old, I wish I’d taken her advice.”

Confessional #25770434

“Made the biggest mistake of my life going back to H ‘for the kids.’ 20 years wasted that should have been spent with the man who really loved me, and showed it. Didn’t even give him a chance. Never go back for the kids. They never appreciate it, anyway.”

Confessional #25767964

“Sometimes I regret having kids.”

One of the suckiest parts of adulting is realizing that maybe you should have done things differently—like go to school. Or not. Or listen to the older grownups in your life. Or not. Because at the end of the day, you’re the one who has to live with your choices, right?

Confessional #25770850

“I regret going to college. I wanted to make my mom proud by being someone important, but ended up with a low paying job and stuck with a school loan I will never be able to pay off.”

Confessional #25772216

“My biggest regret is that I didn’t listen to my elders when I was young – turns out they knew a thing or 2. My biggest hope is that my kids will listen to me and THEIR elders – but I don’t hold much hope that they’ll pay any more attention than I did.”

Confessional #25759653 “I regret the way I treated people when I was younger. I’ve wised up since, but unfortunately, growing up in an abusive home makes you mean and not normal.”

Ugh, this one’s the worst. Being stuck in a marriage and feeling trapped can be depressing and scary. If this sounds like you, ask for help and do what you need to do for your own health and safety.

Confessional #25767522

“Marrying my husband was a huge mistake.”

Confessional #25772182

“I can tolerate life with the narcissist a-hole I mistakenly married as long as he goes to work for 8-10 hrs a day. Him working from home? It will be bad, very bad. Praying right now.”

Confessional #25767885

“I want a divorce. My husband is a wonderful father and friend. He just isn’t a husband. I regret our whole relationship. I’ve sacrificed so much to be with him and he is afraid to stand up for me. I only feel important when convenient to him.”

Relationships often lead to regrets and mistakes—whether they’re with in-laws, spouses, or even friends. That’s just part of the deal. If the relationship is strong enough, forgiveness might be possible. But you need to be prepared to make amends, do the work, and in the end, cut ties if need be.

Confessional #25766655

“I made the mistake of telling a friend losing her apartment that she could stay at my place while she looked a new one of her own. That was 8 months ago, she’s making no effort to find a new place, and now I just want her to get the fuck out.”

Confessional #25772032

“I made a huge mistake, and now I may loose everything. My girls, my job, my home. Everything. She holds all the cards, she always did. I understand she doesn’t love me. I can only hope she remembers how much I loved her, and that my girls need me.”

Confessional #25772767

“I made a mistake. I didn’t cheat. In an attempt to protect what we had, I betrayed her trust. Now it’s over and I have lost my best friend. With all that is going on, I just want to talk with my friend.”

A global pandemic means you might not get the chance to fix a mistake—like exposing yourself to the virus. Other mistakes, like spending too much money, are hopefully not as catastrophic.

Confessional #25768170

“I just made a $350 mistake in my checkbook. FML.”

Confessional #25771341

“I should be in bed, but it’s easier to sit here and waste time. I always regret it, and then do it again tomorrow…”

Confessional #25753182

“Took DW out for a fancy dinner on her bday. DS16 normally doesn’t want to go out w/us, but did because it was for DW’s bday. I told him not to worry about prices – he could get whatever he wanted from the menu. That was a BIG, expensive mistake!”

Life is full of mistakes, for everyone. Some are easier to recover from, like splurging on boots that maybe you couldn’t afford. Others could mean life or death—like unnecessarily going out right now without a mask. The best we can do is learn from our missteps, make it right, and try to not make them again. (And also remember to forgive our loved ones when they screw up too.)