If tomorrow were your last day, would you be proud of the life you lived?

There are so many people that I’ve been talking with lately that wish their life was different. They are unhappy in their career, don’t make time to see friends, or feel like they are just going through the motions of life, but not really slowing down to enjoy it.

I’ve realized that many of us have one thing in common: we fear regret.

Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who worked in palliative care. She spent her time caring for and counseling dying people in their final days, making them more comfortable as they prepared to pass on. The regret and frustration she witnessed from her patients inspired her to write a blog, which later turned into a best-selling book, “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.”

“I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me,” was the biggest regret. In other words, I wish I dared to be more authentic.

Another thing we all have in common: we all die.

It’s just the plain truth. You don’t get to know when.

Even though it can be difficult to think about, we can’t escape it. But we can make the most of the time we have here and choose how we spend our time.

Think on this… How would you start living if you had only four months to live? Would you still be bending over backward to meet others' demands, forcing yourself to fit into crowds that you don’t want to be in, or stuck in a career you didn’t choose - or would you say, “I’m a freaking miracle - my purpose is not to hide or conform - but to experience MY authentic life” and inspire others to do the same?

The other regrets of dying people, in order, are:

I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
I wish I had the courage to express my feelings.
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
I wish that I had let myself be happier.

What can you do right now, no matter what your age or situation, to avoid feeling regret? Now is the perfect time to reflect on this year so far and ask yourself if there is anything you can start to do differently to live a life you are proud of.

With lots and lots of love,

Lisa