Hello .

There was once a study done by Bronnie Ware, who was an Australian nurse that specialised in caring for people who were dying.

While taking care of these patients in their last days, she made a list of the top five things they said they wished they had done differently.

She talked to them about their regrets and put together a book called "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying" based on what she learned.

According to Ware, these are the five most common things people regret:

1. "I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me."

Many people said they regretted not following their dreams and goals, which was mostly because they made choices to fit in with what other people wanted.

2. "I wish I hadn't worked so hard."

Some patients said they felt bad about spending so much of their lives working and missing out on their children's youth and their partner's company.

3. "I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings."

People often did not say how they really felt because they were afraid of conflict, rejection, or making other people upset.

This often led to unfulfilling relationships or even illness.

4. "I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends."

As people get close to the end of their lives, they often miss their old friends and wish they had put more time and effort into their friendships.

5. "I wish that I had let myself be happier."

Some people found out too late that happiness depends on what they do, and they say they regret not breaking out of habits of behaviour and thought that kept them from being happy.

Lessons from the study

A. Do not just go through life trying to make other people happy.

No matter how hard you try, you’ll always fail. Figure out what you truly want in life and start taking small steps towards it. 

If you don’t know what you want, look at meaningful things that others have that you’d like to have for yourself. 

Research how they got it and start taking small steps towards it as well. 

B. Work hard, but do not let it consume your life. 

You're not a robot. 

Make time for the people and things that are important to you too.

C. If you have something to say, say it politely. Keeping things inside only hurts you and the people around you.

The life most people want is often only a few uncomfortable conversations away. 

D. True friends are priceless. Do not get too caught up in the chaos of daily life and forget them.

Make them for them as often as you can. 

E. Yes, you can be happy now in the present.

Not everything needs to be perfect for it to happen. 

For me, the formula for happiness goes like this: gratitude plus making people's lives better = happiness.

✍️ A QUOTE TO REFLECT ON:

"Quit everything until you find something you just cannot quit." - BOBCAT GOLDTHWAIT

We all need to have something to pour our hearts and souls into in order for our lives to feel worth living.

Having something that we are truly invested in can bring us a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

It's important to take the time to explore different interests and activities until you find something that truly speaks to you.

Once you do, don't be afraid to dive in and commit yourself fully.

As Bobcat Goldthwait suggests, sometimes it's necessary to quit everything else in order to fully pursue what truly matters to us.

So go ahead, take that leap of faith, and discover what you just can't quit.

Your life will probably be all the richer for it.

🤔 A QUESTION WORTH CONSIDERING: 

"Who wrote the software running in your head? Are you sure you actually want it there?” - ELON MUSK

If we are not aware of the programming that is driving our thoughts and actions, then we may not be making decisions that are truly in our best interest.

Elon Musk's question is an interesting, thought-provoking one that challenges us to consider the origins of our thoughts and beliefs.

It is important for us to be conscious of the software running in our heads and to take responsibility for it.

By doing so, we can ensure that we are making decisions that align with our values and goals and get ourselves to where we want to be and not where others want us to be.

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Have a wonderful week!

I appreciate you taking the time and trusting me with it.

Have a wonderful week!

Nurain.

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