Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?
The Time I Chose “Later.”
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It’s strange how most regrets don’t come from what we did
but from what we kept postponing… very politely.
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In love,
I didn’t say it when it was still soft and simple.
I waited—for the “right moment,” the perfect clarity,
some cinematic certainty.
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By the time I was ready,
the moment had already moved on…
like a train that doesn’t announce its last call.
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Turns out, love doesn’t always need perfect timing
just a little courage before overthinking takes over.
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In education,
I didn’t ask that one “stupid” question.
You know the one—sitting at the edge of your tongue,
but held back because “what will people think?”
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Everyone else nodded. I nodded too.
Understanding… optional.
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Years later, I realised
confusion doesn’t disappear when you hide it.
It just becomes more expensive.
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In health,
I ignored the small signs.
The fatigue, the “it’s probably nothing,”
the habit of choosing convenience over care.
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Nothing serious happened.
But something subtle did
I got used to neglecting myself… gently, consistently.
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And that’s the kind of damage that doesn’t make noise.
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In career,
I didn’t take the chance.
Not because I couldn’t
but because I wanted guarantees.
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I told myself, “I’ll try when I’m more ready.”
But readiness is a moving target…
it keeps shifting just enough to keep you still.
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And the funny part?
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None of these were big, dramatic failures.
No disasters. No headlines.
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Just small moments where I chose “later”
over “maybe now.”
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If I could do it differently,
I wouldn’t try to control everything.
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I’d speak a little sooner.
Ask a little more.
Listen to my body before it whispers louder.
And take chances before they turn into “what ifs.”
I
Because life rarely collapses in one big moment.
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It quietly changes direction
in all the times we say
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“Not now… maybe later.”
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We spend so much of life waiting to be ready
for the right time, the right words, the right version of ourselves.
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But life doesn’t wait for perfect.
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So the next time something in you says “maybe now”…
don’t silence it with “later.”
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Because sometimes,
that quiet nudge is the moment itself.
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—Rajeshwari 🧿💕
© Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved
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