While we might not realize it, tomorrow is not promised. Our lives could end in the blink of an eye and that while scary is a hard truth we all need to face.
If you have ever spent any time with someone who was on their deathbed, you know how sudden things can be and how much regret those who are passing tend to face. While some of them have lived long lives, they still have things they wish they had done, had not done, or perhaps would have worked through differently. This kind of thing can be heartbreaking to see, but it is a reminder for us all to really see things as they are and be more in the moment when we are capable of such.
Below I am going to go over some of the more common regrets people tend to have when it comes to the end of their lives. When someone is in their final weeks they will share a lot of wisdom and that wisdom we should not take lightly. We all make mistakes in life and regret will never be completely avoidable, but the things written below we should not be ignoring.
10 Things Those Who Are Dying Regret More Than Anything Else:
1. Never following dreams
One thing a lot of people seem to regret which I am sure you’ve heard before is not following their dreams. We all have dreams and while some of those dreams might sound a bit out there, trying is something we should all do. While it takes a lot of bravery, following your dreams is very much worth it.
2. Not spending enough time with loved ones
While we all wish we could spend more time with the people who matter to us, some of us don’t really understand just how important the small moments are. Your loved ones are not going to be around forever and even eating dinner together is something you will cherish as you get older. When you’re dying, you want to be able to say that you spent as much time as you could with the people you cared the most about.
3. Letting go of grudges
As we move through life we face a lot of things and those things can really hold us back. When you’re really facing something like death, you realize how small those problems were and how much you wish the person you had that grudge with was around. I know, it might not sound like much, but this is something a lot of people face.
4. Working too much and not choosing a career that they loved
If you’ve ever heard the expression ‘working your life away’ then you know what I mean. When you spend all of your time working a job you hate, you’re not able to do the things you want to do and really enjoy life. You do not want to be on your deathbed wishing you had done more for yourself.
5. Not staying in contact with friends
While we tend to be more family-oriented as we grow older, we shouldn’t just let our friends fade out of our lives. Friendships are important and when your kids move off, friends are going to be all you have along with your partner. When you’re at your worst and facing the end of the tunnel, you’ll wish you had said things to the people you once held close.
6. Not pursuing happiness properly
Happiness is important and the more that we put it off, the more unhappy we are going to become. When you’re close to the end, you’re going to be thinking about your life and the choices you’ve made, which brings forth a lot of emotion. If you did not live a happy life, what was the point?
7. Not being a better partner
We all want to be there for our partners, but we don’t always accomplish that as we think we should. Sure, you might have done what you thought was your best but you still fell short, and now it’s too late. Saying ‘I love you’ and really being there for your partner properly is something you should make a priority while you still can.
8. Not taking care of their body
Our bodies are very important and for some reason, we don’t often see that as well as we should. If you do not take care of yourself, your time might come long before you are ready which causes you to regret even more. You can always buy new things and so forth but your body is not replaceable.
9. Not moving out of their comfort zone
Our comfort zone is something that holds us all back and while you might be content within it, as you get older you may end up feeling like you want to move out of it. However, if you wait too long you may end up meeting your end before you find the courage to accomplish exactly that.
10. Trying to be someone they were not
Living authentically is important and when you get older you realize trying to fit in isn’t as important as we tend to make it out to be when we are young. This is something not everyone wants to accept and so some end up nearing their end all the while never having shown the world who they truly were. I know, it might sound silly but this is a real issue.