Regret is a funny thing. It’s not the loud, messy moments that stick with me—the missteps, the failed attempts, the times I fell flat on my face. No, it’s the quiet ones. The chances I didn’t take. The times I played it safe when I should’ve leapt. Those are the regrets that linger, the ones that hum softly in the background of life. I’ve made peace with the fact that I’ll never regret trying and falling short. What I can’t live with is wondering what might’ve been.
But here’s the rub: life’s not just about saying yes to everything. It’s about knowing when to say no. That’s where it gets tricky. Yes is easy—it’s open, it’s curious, it’s full of possibility. No is harder. No feels final, like a door closing. But every yes comes with a cost, and if you’re not careful, saying yes to everything means you’re saying no to the things that matter most.
The real challenge is finding the balance. Knowing which yeses will light your soul on fire and which ones will burn you out. Saying no isn’t about fear or hesitation—it’s about clarity. It’s about protecting your time, your energy, your priorities. It’s about making space for the things that truly matter, the things that make life feel alive.
So, here’s where I’ve landed: I’ll always lean toward yes when it comes to living, trying, and risking. But I’ve also learned that saying no is its own kind of bravery. It’s the art of making room for what matters. And when you get it right, there’s no room for regret—because every choice, every yes and no, becomes part of the story you were meant to write.