Top 5 Regrets of The Dying

It is interesting how we can find ourselves living our lives on autopilot. You know, going through the motions? With a world that is always ‘ON’, it is easy to be swept into patterns of living that are downright boring, inauthentic, petty, or problematic.

I found this image on social media, which lists the top 5 regrets of people approaching death. While our demise is something we tend to avoid talking about, perhaps there is some wisdom to glean from this. Especially when we ask ourselves what it truly means to live a good life.

When you look at these regrets, what speaks to you? You may ask yourself:

“Have I been living according to MY values or someone else’s”?

“What parts of myself have I left un-expressed?”

“Is happiness more of a choice than we let on?”

“What friends have you lost touch with”?

“Is my work out of balance with the other parts of my life”?

While we can’t stop aging and death, we at least can learn from those who have come before us. This can also serve as a reminder not to get lost in the hustle and bustle of daily stressors. It is good to take a moment to pause, reflect, and re-align our lives.

Maybe the problems in your life could best be served with a dose of perspective. Perhaps the issues in your life are a surface-level distraction from a deeper dilemma- the fear of not-existing.

With that said, go lay claim to your full, rich existence.

All the best,

Spencer Thorn, LPC