Top 5 Regrets People Have Before Death

Nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai, which gathered so much attention that she put her observations into a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

1. Pursuing Their Personal Dreams

One of the most common regrets people in Ware’s care complained of is not pursuing the life they aspired to live, They instead lived the life everyone expected them to live. This caused them to give up on dreams and aspirations that were very important to them just to fit into the expectations of the people around them.

2. Wishing They Didn’t Work So Hard

Of course working hard and a good work ethic are very good qualities to have. They ensure that the job gets done and it gets done correctly, but at what expense? Many of Bronnie Wares patients talked about how they wish they had worked less and enjoyed more. They regret missing out on the lives of their children and loved ones. Many of the patients believed that by simplifying their lives and not chasing money, they would have far better enjoyed it.

3. The Courage To Express Feelings

Many People these days struggle with the courage to speak their mind and express their feelings. People are so afraid of the judgement of other people to be able to freely speak their minds, which is ridiculous because human judgement isn’t worth anything and we all view things differently anyways. Take more initiative to gain the courage to speak about the way you feel.

4. Staying In Touch With Loved Ones

Another one of the regrets that topped the list of Bronnie Wares terminally ill patients described is wishing they had stayed in touch with friends and family. All in all, you can say everything we do in life (making money, building architecture, the stock market) are all literally pointless when it comes down to the bare minimum of life – except making friends and forming relationships! According to Bronnie, in the end it all comes down to love and relationships. There wasn’t anything else that mattered in her patient’s last few weeks of their lives beside their loved ones.

5. Letting Themselves Be Happier

Bronnies patients also didn’t realize that happiness was a choice until the end of their lives. They reportedly said they wiahed they had realized that happiness wasn’t something to chase and acquire through wealth or social acceptance. They wished that they had enjoyed everything they had instead of wishing for more. When asked what they could have done differently, they almost unanimously stated that they wish they had just learned to relax and appreciate the good things in their lives.

So there you have it, all very true. When it comes down to it, life is about the people you love, the experiences you share together, and appreciating the things that you have. Learn to stop yearning for something else and start loving what you have. Form new relationships and never lose touch with the ones presently there. Nourish them and grow closer and closer with the people you care about! All in all, slow down and enjoy things and I don’t think you’ll have much to regret when your time is up!