The StoWicks Conversations
by
Carolyn and Seth Wicks
Today's Key Points:
- Take Action
- Get Uncomfortable
- Cherish The Ordinary
Seth: Regret is an interesting thing. We usually think of it as wishing we could change the past, believing that if we had made a different decision, life today would somehow be better. Whether it’s something we did or something we failed to do, we’ve all felt it before.
As I’ve gotten older, though, I’ve realized that reflection is useful, but regret rarely is. You learn from mistakes, you move forward, and you try to live better because of them. But if I were to truly regret anything, it would almost certainly be the moments where I failed to take action. Not saying how I really felt before someone was gone. Skipping the trip with friends because life felt too busy. Waiting for the “right time” to start living the life I actually wanted.
Because when you really think about it, there are certain things people almost never regret.
Carolyn: I’m not sure where it came from, but I’ve always had this belief that if something scares you a little, it’s probably worth exploring. I knew that when I ran for student body president my senior year of high school. I knew that when I said yes to going on a date with Seth (mostly because I had the biggest crush). And I know that now more than ever as a new parent stepping into a role no one can ever fully prepare you for.
What I’ve learned is that most people crave certainty. They want guarantees before they begin and proof that it will work before they risk failing, but that’s not how life works. The opportunities that shape us usually ask us to be courageous first. Clarity and certainty tend to come later.
The older I get, the more I realize that very few people actually know what they’re doing. Most people are figuring it out in real time, learning as they go. That “readiness” you’re waiting for is often just a moving target that keeps you stuck exactly where you are.
If you want a different life, you usually have to move before you feel ready. Send the application before you feel qualified. Start the business (or newsletter) before you know the outcome. Book the trip before the timing feels perfect. Say yes before you’ve mapped it all out.
One brave decision often leads to another, and suddenly you’re in motion. So take the chance. Put yourself out there. You may not control the outcome, but you will almost never regret being brave enough to begin.
Seth: Something else we talk about constantly is doing hard things. People almost never regret challenging themselves and becoming better because of it.
Nobody finishes a workout and wishes they had spent that hour scrolling on their phone instead. Nobody studies late into the night for something meaningful and wishes they had quit halfway through. Nobody goes for a long walk in nature and regrets disconnecting from the noise for a while.
The truth is that growth usually asks something from us first. It asks us to be disciplined, focused, uncomfortable, patient, resilient. Self-respect is earned through action, and you will almost never regret doing the hard things that shape you into a better version of yourself.
Carolyn: I probably don’t need to tell anyone that time spent with people you love is something you won’t regret, but sometimes the most obvious truths are the ones we take for granted.
The family dinners. The weekend trips with friends. Sitting in your parents’ kitchen talking about nothing. Calling your grandparents just to hear their voice. Holding your baby while they nap on your chest. These moments often feel small while they’re happening, which is exactly why they’re so easy to overlook.
We assume there will always be another dinner, another summer, another holiday, another chance when life slows down. But life rarely slows down on its own. It just keeps moving.
One day, the people who matter most won’t be as accessible as they are now. Kids grow up. Parents age. Friends move away. Seasons change. That’s why presence matters so much.
So go to dinner. Make the call. Take the picture, but then put your phone down. Stay a little longer. Ask one more question. Hug them again before you leave. You will almost never regret spending more time with those you love.
Seth: The last thing you won’t regret is living in the present moment, which ties into everything we’ve talked about so far. Too often, people say they can’t wait for the next thing: the vacation, the marathon, the promotion, the milestone. And yes, those things matter. But nobody regrets watching the sunrise on a random summer morning or seeing their three-month-old smile at them for the hundredth time.
Life is happening now, not someday in a distant future that isn’t even guaranteed. So much of modern life is trying to escape the ordinary, when the truth is that the ordinary is what makes up most of our lives.
The main thing I want you to take away from this newsletter is this: Don’t wait to live a life that feels true to you. Live the life you want to live, not the one other people expect you to live. Because in the end, most people don’t regret fully living. They regret waiting so long to start.
Carolyn: So remember that life is in the chances you’re scared to take, the hard things that help you grow, the dinners with family, the trips with friends, the quiet moments with the people you love, and the ordinary days you’ll one day wish you could revisit.
Slow down enough to notice what already exists. Appreciate this season while you’re in it. Life moves quickly, and the “perfect time” quietly steals years from people’s lives. One day, many of the moments that feel ordinary right now will become the moments you miss the most. So take the chance, be present, and fully live while you still can.
Seth: This week, make time for someone you care about. Schedule the dinner, make the call, or reconnect with someone you’ve been thinking about. Be fully present while you still can.
Carolyn: What is one chance, conversation, or moment you know you need to stop delaying? Start there.
Both: If StoWicks has brought value to your week, forward this newsletter to someone who’d want to grow alongside us.
See you next week,
Carolyn & Seth
The StoWicks
Quote of the Week:
“While we are postponing, life speeds by.”
Seneca
