What things do we regret in our lives?

This article is not based on a certified study, but on the observations of a nurse who lived close to the last moments of many people. Australian nurse Bronnie Ware, who has been talking to people in the last weeks of their lives, has recorded the most important things that people regret before they die. Ware then uploaded them to a blog called "Inspiration and Chai", which was hugely popular and this prompted her to later write the book "The top five regrets of dying".

People who were in the last stage of their lives were asked "What have they regretted in their lives or what would they have done differently if they had the chance". The most popular answers were:

1. I wish I had the courage to live the life I wanted and not the others.
That was the most common answer everyone gave, according to Ware. At this stage people realized that many of their dreams remained unfulfilled because of the decisions they made or did not make.

2. I wish I had not worked so hard.
This answer was usually given by men, who regretted losing the opportunity to see their children grow up and who did not spend enough time with their partner.

3. I wish I had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people of both sexes regretted the feelings they had suppressed.

4. I wish I could keep in touch with my friends.
In their last moments, people regretted friendships they could not keep in their lives.

5. I wish I could let myself be happier.
This was true for both sexes. People at this stage have realized that happiness is our choice.

Ware's general conclusion is that people did not regret money, travel and relationships, but simple everyday things like lost friends, overwork and unexpressed feelings. Although the article may seem vain to some, in fact it hides optimism because it reveals to us simple secrets, which, although we take for granted, are the main components of happiness. The article reminds us that we only live once, so it is nice to do things that we want and that make us happy.

Source: guardian.co.uk