Have you ever spent time with a loved one at the end of their life and asked them about their regrets? What they wish they spent more time on? Less time on? Things they wish they did?

In the film Embrace, Nigel Marsh talks about how we all wait for the big four before we make changes in life: death, divorce, disease and redundancy. Imagine if we could change our priorities and spend time and energy on things that are important without having to get to those things..!

This book. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, invites you to do exactly that. It is the opportunity to learn from all of the lovely people who have left their bodies and didn’t get the chance to do the things they wished they had the courage and wisdom to do in their lives.

Bronnie Ware, an Australian author, beautifully recounts her experiences working in pallative care and summarises the top five things that people regretted doing or not doing in their lives.

I don’t want to give it all away but do you know what people didn’t regret..? Not working enough, keeping their feelings to themselves and thinking that they didn’t deserve to be happy…!

Notable quotes

“Life doesn’t owe us anything. We only owe ourselves, to make the most of the life we are living, of the time we have left, and to live in gratitude.”

“Laughter is a very underrated tool for healing.”

“There is nothing wrong with loving your work and wanting to apply yourself to it. But there is so much more to life. Balance is what is important, maintaining balance.”