We all strive to live long and fulfilling lives, chock-full of love, excitement, joy, and experience. And these days, humans are living longer than ever before. Even so, many people never accomplish all their goals or manifest their hopes and dreams before their final days.
Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse and counselor, and has sat at many a bedside of terminally ill people. Most of these dying patients had lived long lives, and she was curious to learn more about their personal stories and what they've achieved. She also wanted to discover if there was anything they had wished they'd done differently… their greatest regrets.
Perhaps not surprisingly, there were many responses she would hear time and time again – 5 in particular that came up repeatedly. These conversations inspired Ware to compose an article called Regrets of the Dyingin order to share the wisdom these patients gained over their years on Earth with others who still had the chance to live a life free of regret.
Take a look at these 5 common regrets people have before dying and see what changes you can make in your life so you can one day look back and feel a sense of peace and closure.
- I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
- I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
- I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
- I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
- I wish that I had let myself be happier.
Do you find yourself slipping into any of these scenarios? Are you pleasing others rather than doing what you want to do? Do you spend extra hours at the office instead of with loved ones? Do you hold your tongue in order to keep the peace? Have you let relationships fizzle? Are you living your life with true joy and heartfelt emotion?
Everyone's version of what these things mean differ, but we only have one life to live, so make the most of it.