Living Your Life with No Regrets

I do not mean to imply that we should do whatever we feel like and just not care about the outcome. On the contrary, I do mean that we should live in such a way that whatever happens, we can live with the consequences. I attempt to live my life in as Christ-like a manner as possible, so that if I do not get a chance to “do-over” an action or a conversation, I am able to be content with it. Easy? Not a chance. Easier with practice? Definitely!

A large part of that process involves doing things right the first time. Doing things right the first time means I have to be thinking and planning ahead so as not to leave undone something I should do. I must say the correct thing at the right moment. I must exercise my faith in God’s leading to know I am doing the proper thing at the proper moment. At times, it will mean restraining my mouth from a tempting word or holding back a hurtful action, but the outcome will leave me at peace, having no regrets, Guilt-Free. It means living my life in the Spirit of God’s agape love and putting selfishness aside for the sake of others.

Sometimes those “others” will be my own family, who must come before anyone else. I should not do for outsiders what I have not first done for my own husband and children, lest they feel neglected and allow jealousy to creep in. Sometimes my children will share with me in giving, learning first-hand about having a servant’s heart as we work together to serve others.

Occasionally, we all have days that do not measure up to our own expectations. When that happens, stop and count the little accomplishments of that day (in schoolwork and/or housework) to gauge success. (“At least we will all have clean underwear for tomorrow.”) Some days, “attaining vertical posture” must be seriously counted as a goal! Living my life with no regrets means I will not set my own standards too high, I will accept what I did today, and I will try to do better tomorrow.