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After many years of unsatisfying work Bronnie Ware decided to find something that would be in line with his values. He decided to work in a hospice, where for many years he helped dying people. A little later he wrote a list of the words he heard most often from his patients.
1. I wish I had had the courage to live as I wanted, and not as others expected of me. “
That is the thing they regret most. When people realize that their life is nearing its end and they look back, they see how many of their dreams were never fulfilled. Most people do not fulfill even half of their dreams and die convinced that it was because of the choices they made. Health gives us a freedom we do not appreciate until we lose it. “
2. I regret that I worked so hard “
Every man I cared for regretted it. He did not have enough time for his children or partner. Women also sometimes regretted that they worked too much, but because most of them came from an older generation, they usually looked after the household instead of working. all the men I cared for regretted that they had spent so much time at work, “
3. I wish I had had the courage to express my true feelings “
Many people hide their true feelings for fear of upsetting others. As a result they settle for a life and never achieve what they truly could have. Many of these people fell ill because of the bitterness they carried inside. “
4. I wish I had spent more time with my friends “
Often people do not see the benefits that old friends can give them until the final weeks of their lives. Often it is not even possible to find such friends again. Many people let life carry them away and in the meantime lost their best friends. I heard a lot of regret over not giving enough time to friends. Every person longs for friends when they are leaving “
5. I regret that I couldn’t have been happier “
This is a surprisingly common sentence. Many people only at the end of life realize that the possibility of being happy is a choice. They give in too much to patterns and habits. The so-called “comfort” of everyday things won over emotions, as well as over their lives. The fear of change forced them to pretend to others and also to themselves that they were happy, while somewhere deep inside they longed to be carefree and happy in their lives again “These words are beautiful and true.
Although it is not easy for us to reflect at this moment on such a serious matter as dying, it is worth thinking about these words. The people who speak of this are in a completely different situation than we are in our everyday hurried lives. Let us not make the same mistakes.
