Former nurse Broni Ware from Australia talks about the first five things that people on their deathbed most often regret. Broni Ware is the author of a bestseller translated into 27 languages. Besides being a nurse, she was also a beach bartender, a bank manager, a lecturer on spiritual growth, Magazine 8 writes.
Here are the five most common regrets:
1. I wish I had the courage to live a life in which I am true to myself, not the life that others expected of me.
This was the most common regret expressed by almost everyone. When people realize that their life is almost over and look clearly back at it, it is easy to see how many dreams have remained unfulfilled. Most people had not paid tribute to even half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to the choices they made or did not make.
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
I heard this from every male patient while feeding them. They missed the missed hours with the children when they were little and the intimate moments with their partner. The women also spoke about it with regret. But since most were of the older generation, many of the female patients had spent their lives at home as housewives.
3. I wish I had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppress their feelings in order to maintain peace in communication with others. As a result, they are content with a mediocre existence and never become what they could be. Many human diseases are associated with unspokenness, bitterness and dissatisfaction, which lead to broken health.
4. I wish I had closer contact with my friends.
My dying patients had not yet fully realized all the benefits of old friendships, and only now, on the verge of death, did they understand what they had missed. Many were so engrossed in their own lives that over the years they had let golden friendships slip away. They deeply regretted not devoting enough time and effort to the friendship.
5. I wish I was happier.
This statement is surprisingly common. Many do not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They were stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called “comfort” of familiarity and neglect spilled over into their emotions as well as into their physical lives. The fear of change had made them pretend to be happy with others and with themselves. When they went deep into their true selves, they longed to laugh wildly and casually and do stupid things again.
Life is a choice. Choose happiness.
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