01/28/2026
If you were to pass away today, would you have regrets? Vacations that were never taken, words that were left unspoken, or tasks that were left undone? Bronnie Ware is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing.
Ms. Ware worked on and off in palliative care for eight years and sat at the bedside of the dying. She notes that common themes began to surface when her patients were questioned about their lives. Ms. Ware began to take notes and identified their top five regrets.
1.) I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
Ms. Ware states, “This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled.”
2.) I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
Ms. Ware continues, “This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. 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.”
4.) I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
“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 realize until the end that happiness is a choice.”
Living life to the fullest and regret free is a concept we can all get behind. As Ms. Ware profoundly states on her blog, “Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.”
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