Bronnie Ware, a palliative nurse, wrote a book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. This post is an adaptation of her observations, with a bonus idea for Christians. Here are 6 ways to avoid regrets on your deathbed:
Work towards YOUR dreams, not the dreams placed on you by your parents.
When you die, will you kick yourself for doing the career you hated, or marrying the person who wasn’t your type, all because it was your parents’ wishes?
Choose quality time over overtime.
Even if your longer work hours produced a larger home or fancier vacations, will your family thank God you were absent more often than not?
Let people know the true you, starting with your true emotions and opinions.
We all wear masks in life, whether it’s to keep up an image or to protect from pain. On a deathbed, however, people who have lived masked lives die incredibly lonely and misunderstood.
Deepen bonds with friends, and if you don’t have friends, make some.
How meaningful and fulfilling it will be when you look around you and see your ride or die friends. These types of friendships don’t form passively. We carve out time and energy to make lasting friendships.
Remove obstacles to joy.
Talk to a therapist to discover what these obstacles might be. If it’s years of resentment, learn steps to forgive. If it’s overwhelmingness, learn to say goodbye to lesser priorities. If it’s chemical imbalance, find a trusted psychiatrist. Life is way too short to live with a negative lens.
Be assured of your salvation.
Do you know where you’re going after you die? Seek answers with your pastor or a spiritual mentor you trust. Assurance of salvation will not only give you great peace when you die, but for each living day as well!