We all have regrets in life, some minor ones like regretting taking the M25 on a Friday evening and some larger ones such as marrying the wrong person.

But at the end of the day, all these regrets shape us into being the people we are today, and many be a positive in our later years.

But would you offer any advice to your teenage self if you were given the opportunity so you can avoid any of these contritions?

The most common regret was not looking after our own mental health and not staying positive in our earlier years. This was over 35% of the total answers and some phases recurred throughout, including:

• Be true to yourself
• Believe in yourself
• Be confident
• Don’t worry
• Love yourself
• Be kind to yourself

With such a huge focus in parliament and the media around mental health and the pressures younger generations are facing in the modern world, such as increasing job competition and financial difficulties, it appears action is already being taken for pensioners’ regrets.

Although mental health systems in the UK are not yet perfected, there has certainly been a huge advance over the decades.

Workplaces and schools are more aware of mental health and are providing more training on how we can help those around us.

‘Mental health days’ were unheard of 50 years ago but it is not becoming more acceptable to take these from work.

The stigma of poor mental health is slowly being removed as more of us are comfortable to talk about it around colleagues and loved ones.

Would the current over 65’s still regret not looking after their own mental health if they were offered the same support teenagers are given nowadays?

Perhaps there would be no change, it is well-known that our teenage years are a struggle as we all begin to find ourselves and make the transition to adulthood.

Despite any advice or support, general teenage angst may never be eradicated as it seems to have existed since the dawn of time.

The next biggest regret was not following a different path in education or careers. Some answers included:

• Study harder
• Go to uni
• Go back to school
• Be ambitious in your career
• Learn a trade
• Work and learn hard

Previously, our paths were almost set for us, depending on what family we were born into. University used to be reserved purely for the more affluent families and those from a more modest background were priced out of this opportunity.

Nowadays, university is open to everyone and with loans and bursaries available for those who need it…
 
Continue reading the article and learn more about personal experience on Life Is An Episode website.