WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST REGRETS
I often ask new clients in my life coaching practice what their biggest regret would be if their life were over sooner than they expected.
One of my clients emailed me an article written by Bronnie Ware, an Australian author and blogger who cares for patients during the last phases of their life. She noted that in the last phase of a patient’s life they were able to understand what it was that gave them peace of mind in those final days.
5. They realized that happiness is a choice. They were able to let go of their judgments and concern about what others thought of them. They were able to break out of their lifelong habits and patterns and think in a new way. They were able to be silly and allow laughter back into their life.
4. They wished they had made a greater effort to stay in touch with their friends. It was only near the end when their busy lifestyle came to an end that they realized that it was love not money that matters. Near the end it wasn’t always possible to get in touch with old friends which was one of the things that gave them true joy.
3. Most people have difficulty in fully expressing their feelings. You probably already know that. We don’t always say what’s on our mind. We hold back and the withholding affects all of our relationships. We never obtain the depth in relationships that we cherish. Ware reported overcoming this tendency was the regret of many people.
2. This might be true of you. People wished they didn’t work so hard.
Ware reported that every one of her male patients expressed regret for not developing other aspects of themselves. Their identity was based upon who they were in their careers. They didn’t have the desire to get to know themselves in other ways.
1. You have probably heard this one. Live the life that is true for you, rather than the life that others expect of you. Said in another way, be true to yourself. Ware reported that the most common regret among people who were dying was that many things went unfulfilled. Though we may not be able to fulfill all our dreams, Ware wrote that it is important to honor some of them and fulfill them completely. Find your passion and discover what gets you excited about life.
As the famous philosopher, Mark Twain said:
Twenty years from now,
You will be more disappointed
by the things you didn’t do
Than the ones you did,
So throw off the bowlines
Sail away from the safe harbor
Catch the trade winds in your sail.
Dream, Explore, Discover
JOURNEY ON
MARK
Mark Susnow, is an executive and life coach, who inspires others to believe in themselves. A former trial attorney for 30 years, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. He is the author of, Dancing on the River:Navigating Life’s Changes.