In this post, I will cover the top 5 regrets of the dying from which a nurse named Bronnie Ware documented in a book that discusses her experience caring for patients in the last 3 months of their lives. I found it to be a pretty big wakeup call and hopefully, it will allow you to live your life with more purpose.
The top 5 regrets of the dying were:
1. They wished that they had the courage to live a life true to themselves, not the life that others expected of them.
Oftentimes, people tend to live life to meet someone else’s expectations or ideas that have been obtained from a young age. Those perspectives are put onto us and supposedly it’s how we’re ‘meant’ to live. However, we know that deep down this isn’t our calling. Following in our parents footsteps isn’t always the right decision. Only your heart knows the answer to that. Are you living a life that is true to yourself? (How to Live life on Your Terms)
2. They wish their life wasn’t spent working so hard.
When I think of this it reminds me of the saying, “Do you work to live or live to work?”. Some people are passionate about their work, it is their life. Other’s hate their jobs and try to work as little as possible in order to live their lives outside of work. I don’t think that either one is right or wrong, but more so figuring out what is important to you and what makes you happy.
3. They wish they’d had the courage to express their feelings.
For various reasons, many people close off emotionally and don’t fully express themselves as they wish to. As a result, this causes internal pain and suffering. Lost opportunities, relationships, and regret can all come from the fears around expressing feelings. Live your life authentically as your highest self and express who you are through all that you do.“remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart” — Steve Jobs
4. Regretting that they had not stayed in touch with their friends.
As humans, we are social creatures and have been designed to be around others. Some of the closest relationships we form in life are with our good friends. We are not part of the same blood, but we often become like siblings through mutual respect and connection. We build trust, share interests and passions, and create many lasting memories with our close friends. Sometimes, we can get too caught up in the business of life and these people become less and less a part of our lives.
5. Wishing that they had let themselves be happier.
I’m not denying that some of us have had bad experiences, traumatic events, loss of loved ones, and unquestionable bad misfortune. But I do genuinely believe we are responsible for our own happiness. We are not designed to be happy, we are designed to survive and exist. It is up to us to make the most of life by finding purpose, building quality relationships, and finding happiness from within. Gratitude is the key to happiness.
Value Your Precious Life
To live a happier and more fulfilled life it requires us to get clear on exactly what that looks like to us. Spending too many days doing what you don’t want to do is a sign that something needs to change for you. Start to pencil down how you vision your ideal life. Below are some areas of life that you may wish to consider as a starting point:
- Business / Finances
- Career
- Relationships
- Health and Fitness
- Well-being
- Passions and Hobbies