Life is incredibly precious and impossibly short. We’ve all experienced the phenomenon of time flying by. During the pandemic, for example, two years seemingly passed in the blink of an eye.
It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of living and forget to look at the bigger picture of life. Work, chores, errands — they can all occupy our time to the point where we forget to stop and embrace what really matters.
Things like work aren’t what most of us want to remember at the end of our lives. According to “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying,” written by palliative caregiver Bronnie Ware, there are specific things that most people regret as they’re dying.
The top five regrets of the dying are:
- “I wish I’d lived a life true to myself.” Instead of living your life based on the ideals of others, it’s important to live by your own rules — even if other people don’t approve. Your life is your own; it doesn’t belong to anyone else, and you shouldn’t live by their dictates.
- “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” Work is a means to an end, but it doesn’t define us, and if we prioritize work over love and family we’re likely to regret it. It’s one thing to be passionate about your career, it’s another to live for work at the expense of everything else.
- “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.” It can be extremely difficult to be honest about how we feel, but what’s more important than sharing our innermost thoughts and feelings with those we love? It takes courage to share, but at the end of our lives, it’s something we’ll be glad we did.
- “I wish I’d stayed in touch with friends.” Friendship is one of the most precious parts of life, and memories with our friends are often what we’ll remember above all else. Staying in touch with friends is something that’s worth working for, even when it’s a challenge.
- “I wish I’d let myself be happier.” Like everything else in life, happiness is fleeting. It’s important to allow ourselves to embrace joy in every moment. Life isn’t supposed to be about trials and tribulations — we’re supposed to enjoy it!
These are the top five regrets of the dying, and they’re worth remembering as we live our lives, before we come to the end.
Are there any other things you think you’d regret at the end of your life? Post them in the comments!
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