Living without regret

What if you could avoid the most common regrets people have on their deathbed? This episode walks through the top 5 so you can live fully now.

Nurse Bronnie Ware shares the most frequent regrets she heard from patients at the end of life. They wished they'd lived more authentically, worked less, expressed their feelings, stayed connected to friends, and let themselves be happier. The episode examines each regret and gives ideas to start living without regret right now.

00:45 Regret 1 - Living inauthentically
02:57 Regret 2 - Working too hard
04:20 Regret 3 - Not expressing feelings
05:34 Regret 4 - Losing touch with friends
06:57 Regret 5 - Not allowing happiness

Key takeaways:
- Make choices based on your values, not others' expectations
- Balance work with family and self-care
- Vulnerability fosters connection
- Nurture friendships throughout life
- Happiness is an available choice

The episode ends with a challenge to pick one regret and turn it into a daily habit now. Don't wait - take small steps today to live fully without regret.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Appoche production.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hey, team Danas are here walking back to the building
BET a Human's Project podcast. Today we're going to dive
deep into something that can feel a little bit uncomfortable
at first because we're talking about death. But I promise
if you stay with me, it could change the trajectory
of your life. Now we're talking about the five most
common regrets that people have on their deathbeds. This comes

(00:30):
from Bronnie Ware, an Australian pallative care nurse who spent
years working with people in the final weeks of their life.
She listened, she learned, and she shared what she heard.
Now the powerful part these regrets aren't about money, status
or what car they drove. They're about choices or the
lack of them. So today I want to walk you
through each of these regrets, and as we go, I'm

(00:51):
going to ask you to reflect on how you're living,
because if you're breathing, it's not too late to course correct.
Regret Number one was I wish I'd had the courage
to live a life true to myself, not the life
expected of me. This was the most common regret. People
look back and realize that they'd spent decades chasing things
that didn't actually matter, things that they didn't actually want.

(01:14):
They followed pars laid out by family, society, school teachers,
their friends, doing what was expected rather than what set
their soul on fire. What about you? Are you building
a life that excites you or one that impresses others?
Because the truth is, no one's clapping at your funeral
for living someone else's dream. Living authentically takes courage. It

(01:38):
means saying no more often. It means you might disappoint people,
It means risk being judged by others. But it also
means that you'll look back one day and be proud
of the life because you created it. Regret Number two
is I wished I hadn't worked so hard.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
This came up again and again, especially from men who
missed their children's childhoods or their partner's companionships, chasing promotions
and pay rises. Now, let me say this clearly, ambition
is great. Building something that matters is noble, but not
if it cost you everything else. Work should be a
part of a well rounded life, not the whole thing.

(02:16):
Be intentional with your time. Are you being productive or
just busy? Because there's a massive difference. Being present with
your family, with yourself, with your health. That's success too.
Regret number three was I wish I'd have the courage
to express my feelings. Many people kept peace by keeping quiet.

(02:39):
They avoided conflict, but they also avoided connection. They held
in grief, anger, love, even their dreams because vulnerability was
too scary. What's that thing that you wish you could
say to someone else, I thank you and I love you,
even I'm not okay, say it while you can. Expression

(03:02):
is healing. When we bottle things up, it doesn't disappear.
It turns into stress, resentment, even physical illness. So learn
to speak your truth, but do it with kindness and strength.
That's leadership, personally and professionally. Regret number four is I
wish I'd stayed in touch with my friends. In the

(03:23):
busyness of life, we let people drift. Then one day
we realize we've lost touch with those who once lit
us up. No one was on their deathbed wishing that'd
spent more time and emails They wish they'd made that
phone call. Friendship needs effort, but connection is the currency
of a meaningful life, whether it's a mate from high school,

(03:44):
a mentor, or your adventure buddies reach out. In fact,
after this episode, message someone that you haven't spoken to
in a while, with no agenda, just to say gooday.
And regret number five, I wish I'd let myself be happier.
People realize too late that happiness is a choice that's

(04:04):
been years stuck in patterns, waiting for permission to enjoy life.
They've lived in survival mode when joy was available all along.
Now this one hits hard because I see it every day,
people chasing the When I get there, I'll be happy,
as in, when I get the job, the house, the
six pack, the partner, But there never comes and they

(04:25):
miss what's right in front of them. Gratitude, laughter, play,
These aren't luxuries, they're lifelines. So loosen up a little bit,
laugh more, be silly with your kids or your partner,
Smile at strangers. Let yourself be happy now, not one day.
You only have to watch Mayhem mondays or we've listened
to it to see how MILLI and I laugh together

(04:48):
so often. And when that laughter is missing, then I
know something's not right for us. So really try and
find that. These five regrets they're not just deathbed confessions,
they're warning signs. And also invites invites to live better, braver,
more int intentionally. So here's my challenge to you. Pick

(05:08):
one of those regrets and reverse engineer it into a
daily habit. Maybe you journal about your authentic goals. Maybe
you plan a day off with your family. Maybe you
write a message to someone you miss. Maybe you just
let yourself belly laugh without guilt. Because the goal isn't
to live forever, it's to live fully. So let's do
that together once again. Team, Thanks for tuning into The

(05:30):
Building Better Humans Project podcast. If this episode hits home,
share it with someone you care about. Let's build lives.
We won't regret one choice at a time.

Speaker 1 (05:44):
Thanks for listening to this episode of The Building Better
Humans Podcast with your host Glenna'sa for feedback. To stay
up to date, or go back and find an old episode,
head over to oneady dot net dot au. Yeah, the
Building Better Humors Project par cares. Let's go