Figuring out this whole life thing can be hard. Often, we are focusing a lot of our time and energy on things that really don’t matter. Maybe we are spending too much time trying to figure out what is important. Meanwhile, we let important relationships fade, spend too much time trying to be successful, and rob ourselves of our own happiness.

It’s difficult to know what is important while you are still trying to figure it out. If only you could travel to the future and ask yourself what achievements were you most proud of and what things you regret doing or not doing.

Bronnie Ware worked in palliative care, spending the last 3-12 weeks of life with people who were dying. She formed relationships with many of these people and asked them many questions about life. She came across common themes from all of these people. She then wrote a book titled “The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying.” She is an author and a motivational speaker, and she tries to live her life by the things she has learned from her time working in palliative care.

Here are the 5 most common regrets about life that people have on their deathbed, according to Bronnie Ware:

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

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

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

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

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

Note that no one was regretting that they didn’t make more money, buy that fancy car, or win the lottery. When your life is coming to an end, you typically have a lot of time to reflect. Many humans could learn some lessons from these people. I know I have. Happiness is a choice. Make choices that are genuine, honest, and wise.

Corey Hall, PT, DPT