Top regrets 1-3

I have talked about the book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Australian author Bronnie Ware is an Australian author. For several years, Bronnie sat by the bedsides of dying people. The conversations shared were personal, life-changing, and enormously insightful.

Others have expanded on her work by interviewing patients in palliative care units and nursing homes who are seeing their last days on earth to share their regrets in life. Their answers were memorable and worth considering as you retire-

NUMBER 1:

People’s number one regret on their death beds is that they were never brave enough to pursue their dreams but settled for what others expected of them. When they look back at their lives, they tend to recall their unmet goals and aspirations. They are often haunted by decisions that resulted in the lives they ended up with, which were for some not the life they wanted.

If you retire at the average age of retirement for your country, you still may have 25 to 35 years of life before you. I have said many times, retirement is not a destination it is a journey. Make some goals and start working toward your goals now; don’t keep putting things off until it’s too late. Questions:

·        What are 2 or 3 of your dreams that haven’t been fulfilled yet?

o   Write them down and then write down what are the steps you can take today to get you on the path to making those dreams a reality?

NUMBER 2:

I worked too much and never made time for my family.

Excessive dedication to work may have caused us to spend less time with loved ones. We cannot change the past, as we worked hard to provide for our family we missed out on our children’s lives because we spent their best years pursuing careers and making money. If you are still working, it might do you good to determine what is essential. Then, do away with unnecessary expenses and things that only crowd your life, and this might make room for improved relationships and better lifestyle choices. If you are retired, think about how you can make up for the time lost. Questions:

·        What are some of the ways you can apologize to those you love for devoting too much time to work?

·        How can you make more time for those you love over the next week, month, and years?

NUMBER 3:

I should have made more time for my friends.

When health and youth have faded, people realize what is truly valuable they find that all their income and achievements amount to nothing in the end. What matters in those last few moments are the people who are dear to them. At that time, they tend to miss their friends.

It’s so easy to get lost in the daily grind that you forget to take care of your relationships. If you don’t intentionally stay in touch, you may lose contact with your friends through the years.

Questions:

·   Who are the friends you wish you had made more time for?

·   Why don’t you reach out to them now? 

        It’s never too late to rekindle a friendship from the past.