24 Things Dying People Wished They'd Done Differently
by Bryan J. Neva, Sr.
In his book Resisting Happiness, Matthew Kelly writes about a time he was performing consulting work for a hospital. He spontaneously held an informal focus group with several of the hospital's hospice care nurses. He asked them, "When people are dying, what do they talk about?" The nurses said that when people are dying they often talk about how they wished they'd lived their lives differently. Here's a list of 24 things dying people wished they'd done differently:
1) I wish I had the courage to just be myself.
2) I wish I had spent more time with the people I love.
3) I wish I had made spirituality more of a priority.
4) I wish I had not spent so much time working.
5) I wish I had discovered my purpose earlier.
6) I wish I had learned to express my feelings more.
7) I wish I had not spent so much time worrying about things that never happened.
8) I wish I had taken more risks.
9) I wish I had cared less about what other people thought.
10) I wish I had realized earlier that happiness is a choice.
11) I wish I had loved more.
12) I wish I had taken better care of myself.
13) I wish I had been a better spouse.
14) I wish I had paid less attention to other people's expectations.
15) I wish I had quit my job and found something I really enjoyed doing.
16) I wish I had stayed in touch with old friends.
17) I wish I had spoken my mind more.
18) I wish I hadn't spent so much time chasing the wrong things.
19) I wish I'd had more children.
20) I wish I had touched more lives.
21) I wish I had thought about life's big questions earlier.
22) I wish I had traveled more.
23) I wish I had lived more in the moment.
24) I wish I had pursued more of my dreams.
All these dying people lacked the one precious resource each of us still have...time! So here's the question that begs asking: what's stopping you from doing all the things you wished you could do?
by Bryan J. Neva, Sr.
In his book Resisting Happiness, Matthew Kelly writes about a time he was performing consulting work for a hospital. He spontaneously held an informal focus group with several of the hospital's hospice care nurses. He asked them, "When people are dying, what do they talk about?" The nurses said that when people are dying they often talk about how they wished they'd lived their lives differently. Here's a list of 24 things dying people wished they'd done differently:
1) I wish I had the courage to just be myself.
2) I wish I had spent more time with the people I love.
3) I wish I had made spirituality more of a priority.
4) I wish I had not spent so much time working.
5) I wish I had discovered my purpose earlier.
6) I wish I had learned to express my feelings more.
7) I wish I had not spent so much time worrying about things that never happened.
8) I wish I had taken more risks.
9) I wish I had cared less about what other people thought.
10) I wish I had realized earlier that happiness is a choice.
11) I wish I had loved more.
12) I wish I had taken better care of myself.
13) I wish I had been a better spouse.
14) I wish I had paid less attention to other people's expectations.
15) I wish I had quit my job and found something I really enjoyed doing.
16) I wish I had stayed in touch with old friends.
17) I wish I had spoken my mind more.
18) I wish I hadn't spent so much time chasing the wrong things.
19) I wish I'd had more children.
20) I wish I had touched more lives.
21) I wish I had thought about life's big questions earlier.
22) I wish I had traveled more.
23) I wish I had lived more in the moment.
24) I wish I had pursued more of my dreams.
All these dying people lacked the one precious resource each of us still have...time! So here's the question that begs asking: what's stopping you from doing all the things you wished you could do?