It's easy to get caught up in day to day worries that sometimes consume us. However, if we fast forward and ask ourselves what our 70 or 80 year old selves would think of us wasting energy on these worries, it can be easier to put them into perspective.

Australian palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware's insights into the dying regrets of people she cared for cast a light on the most common regrets people seem to have before they pass away. 

These common regrets provide us with an opportunity to assess our own lives and to put steps in place to ensure that we live our lives to the full from this point on. Self-awareness and action will minimise the chances of experiencing later life regrets.

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

"This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it."

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

"This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence."

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

"Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result."

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

"Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying."

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

"This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again."

I've worked with many people in the areas of happiness, career, self-esteem and confidence to help them overcome limiting belief and to create a growth mindset which has seen them literally transform their lives in a matter of weeks. 

Get in touch here to arrange your FREE 10 minute phone consultation to learn more about how we can work together to create the life you've always wanted to live. If not now, when?

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