***5 Ways to Avoid Living a Regret-Filled Life as An Entrepreneurial Woman

I recently watched a Ted Talk video by Jane McGonigal who shared the top 5 most common regrets of the dying expressed to hospice workers. Her list was fascinating. As women entrepreneurs our lives are often filled with countless tasks and action steps that we must take to market our business that it can often be even more challenging to live a balanced life that makes us happy. And yet if we focus on creating money at the expense of living a happy life then in the end we’re not fully living up to our potential of living and loving richly in our business AND our lives. Here’s what you can do so that the common regrets expressed by so many people don’t also become yours. 1. “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” Many of us are aware of this top regret and yet how many of us are actually willing to do something about it? Most people’s excuses are: “I’m too busy,” “I need the money,” or “I don’t have the time.” They recite these excuses like an internal mantra, which they believe to be THE TRUTH. However, if you insist that you are too busy to have more of a life you will never break free of your cycle. You’ll only create further justification for your busy, frenetic lifestyle. The only way to begin to bust free of this vicious cycle is to make a commitment to create a life you love instead of being run by your work and a life you dislike. 2. “I wished I’d stayed in touch with my friends.” How long does it actually take to reach out to connect with a friend - especially with today’s technology? We assume that if we reach out to a loved one it means that we have to engage in a lengthy conversation. However, It can be as simple as sending a text, writing a quick note or picking up the phone for a couple of minutes just to say, “I was thinking of you.” Studies have proven that your happiness level increases as your support system and connection with your friend’s increases. 3. “I wished I’d let myself be happier.” What would it look like if you really allowed yourself to lighten up and have more fun? I schedule at least 2 days on my monthly calendar that are “Just-for-me-days.” These are days where I get to have fun and do whatever I want to do - and they never involve any “necessary tasks” like running errands! You can also make a point to take a 10 or 15-minute break each day to do one simple thing that is relaxing or fun. 4. “I wish I had the courage to express my true self.” So many of us are afraid to express who we really are. We don’t take the time to really listen and get in touch with what WE want. Make an effort to begin to listen and notice what YOU want. 5. “I wish I’d led a life true to my dreams and not what others expected of me.” We’re afraid that we’ll disappoint others, we won’t be liked or that we’ll create chaos in our lives if we live a life true to our dreams. When we’re not being true to ourselves and instead do what we think others want of us we end up feeling resentful, angry and jealous. Anytime you feel jealous or resentful this is a sure indicator that you’re not listening to your truth. Notice if you are experiencing any of these feelings and see if you’re being called to speak up, stand up and live a life that is true to you and your dreams. By taking these 5 steps you can regret-proof your life and begin living a life a life that not only makes you happier, but also is more in alignment with your business and who you really are.