Life can flip upside down in seconds, and regret often shows up the moment after a bad decision. These stories remind us how quickly a choice — big or small — can haunt us. One man terrified his fiancée by jumping out of her closet as a prank and immediately felt awful. Another delivery driver drank from a coworker’s drink, forgetting he wore red lipstick — a mistake that still embarrasses him seven years later. Someone sent a personal email to their boss by accident. A woman skipped her mom’s 60th birthday for work, didn’t call when plans changed, and later found a note saying her mother had moved away to start a new life without waiting for her anymore.

Others shared regrets from childhood, careers, and relationships: making hurtful jokes, quitting a good job, betraying a coworker for a promotion, studying a field they never wanted, avoiding opportunities because they felt unworthy, or wasting years in isolation. Some regret the trips they never took, the kindness they failed to show, or the chances they let slip by. These stories remind us: regret grows in silence, hesitation, and neglect — especially toward the people who matter most.