What Really Matters in Life?

What Really Matters in Life?

I recently came across the story of Bronnie Ware, a palliative caregiver who spent over a decade caring for people in their last weeks. During her time with them, she asked if they had any regrets or anything they'd do differently. Here are the five most common regrets:

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1. “I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” - A question worth asking, and one I’ve come back to many times in my life, “What do I really want?”
2. “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” - This came from every single man. While there is a time and place for hard work, not prioritizing time with family is a common regret from those in their last days.
3. “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.” - Writing music/lyrics has really helped me personally in this area. I believe finding a creative outlet can be a great help in expressing your feelings.
4. “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.” - We were designed to connect. Studies show that this plays a role in our overall happiness in life.
5. “I wish that I had let myself be happier.” - Give yourself some grace, you’re doing great!

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More Reading.

If you'd like to read more from Bronnie, you can check out her book:

Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing

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Onward,
Kevin