Regrets, every one has a few, but the ones that haunt New Zealanders most are the things they did not do.

Not taking action causes New Zealanders more regret than anything else, according to research by Andy Towers for a doctorate degree at the School of Psychology at Massey University.

He found that men have different regrets to woman and regrets change as we age.

“People regret the things they didn’t do, that is the inaction – both in the short and the long-term,” he said.

Men are more likely to regret financial and occupational decisions. Women’s regrets are more varied, spanning occupation, family, parenting and health decisions.

Lack of education was one of the biggest regrets expressed by older people.

“Time and time again the thing that came up is `if I had stayed at school I could have had a better job and my life would be different’, or `I would not have had this manual job that has wrecked me’.”

Middle age is a time for reflection on relationships, according to the survey. People in their 40s are most likely to have regrets about intimate relationships…

Source: Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4249137a11.html