Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda: What Do You Regret?

When you look back on your life, is there anything you wish you could change? Most of us would say yes — and we’re not alone in that sentiment, according to a new Northwestern University study that categorized and ranked Americans’ biggest life regrets. “Regrets help illuminate mistakes we have made and allow us to learn from them,” says study co-author Mike Morrison, a graduate student in the department of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “The sting of regret can motivate us to make positive changes in our lives.” Among the more fascinating findings: Twice as many women as men (44 percent compared to 19) reported a love- or family-related regret; men were slightly more likely than women to have career or education-related remorse.

See what else survey participants reported regretting most — and how your do-over wish list stacks up.

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