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I’d rather have a life of “OH WELLS” than a life of “WHAT IFS.” @FamousWomen
I caught the above quote as it flitted by on my Twitter feed the other day and it immediately spoke to me.
Because it’s easier for me to take my lumps in ‘oh wells’ than it is to take them in ‘what ifs.’
It also reminded me of a post I’d seen months ago (link below) about the regrets people have on their deathbed…
and my thoughts about the areas I need to work on; specifically regarding my personal relationships…
…areas I have been consciously and unconsciously working on since.
According to Bronnie Ware the Top 5 regrets people have on their deathbed are:
- I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself.
- I wish I didn’t work so hard.
- I wish I’d 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.
To read more see Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed
~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~
Which above points resonate with you? What are you doing about it?
talktodiana 
Huh! I guess on Bronnie Ware’s account I’ve had a pretty good life with few regrets (but quite a few “Oops” and “Oh wells” — even a few “Let’s never do that again”s). The only one I didn’t do a great job on was #4, but I’m sure how many real regrets I have about it (there is one friend I do wish I’d not let slip away — recent attempts to find her have failed, and I do have some regrets there).
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Who doesn’t have a share of oops and oh wells? Glad you feel you’ve fared well in this area Smitty! ❤
Diana xo
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I can identify with all but #3 of the top 5 you listed, Diana. #3 – ‘having the courage to express my feelings.’ It’s amazing to me that some, who consider themselves ‘tell it like it is’ people, don’t want to be told like it is. A colleague was posting things online that I thought could cause her a headache down the line and I shared my concerns with her. The result? I found out MONTHS later that she had removed me from her list of folks she shares info with. 😉
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Wow Judy, that’s harsh! Sometimes the people who seem the strongest on the outside are the most sensitive on the inside. I know, because sometimes that’s me. I would hope that I would push past the urge to stop sharing with my friend though. ❤
Diana xo
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From comments made by her, I suspect you’re right, Diana. She has come thru some deep hurts.
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Diana, thanks for the list of five. # 4 resonates with me since I’ve already been working on it. Friends are worth the effort, and a good friend will make the effort. I had slacked off way too much in 2014. I’m making the steps to change that–and it feels good and right. Great post!
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
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Good for you Wendy – friendship is more precious than gold! ❤
Diana xo
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Yes. xo And I’m so glad Jennifer introduced us.
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me too Wendy!
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That actually made me feel really good about where I am. No regrets.
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That’s great to hear Jay and welcome to my blog!
Diana xo
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I also really liked the quote and the list of regrets. I found the last one–“I wish that I’d let myself be happier” to be particularly intriguing and thought-provoking. Do we have control over how happy we are?
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Good question Sheryl!
I guess it depends on one’s definition of happy.
Personally, I feel that I can choose my attitude on things. Choose to look for the positives. Choose to celebrate even the little victories before I dash off to my next project. Choose to trust the process. Trust others, etc. Make sense? ❤
Diana xo
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I have no regrets Diana. I have many an embarrassing moment or bad choice in life. But I must say I have learned many great lessons from my flaws. I guess the biggest one is to not judge others.
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Yes Kath, I’m working on the not judging one too. ❤
Diana xo
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I have no regrets in life… I’ve tended to follow my nose and often found a brick wall in its way, but with a turn here and there I still tend to follow my nose….. and hopefully go to my deathbed with no regrets…
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I believe you bulldog! You strike me as someone who once having made a decision, don’t look back. ❤
Diana xo
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I haven’t seen that quote before either – it’s great!
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Glad you like it too Julie! ❤
Diana xo
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Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. 🙂
I write without making excuses any more (used to). I own that I didn’t understand for the longest time that I didn’t realize I had “choice” in life. Now that I fully understand this, I optimize it! 🙂 I work well, but I don’t let work rule my life. I let happy be a necessity of my life, not a ‘maybe’.
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Good for you Colleen – love the phrase, let happy be a necessity!
Diana xo
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May none of us leave this world with those regrets heavy on our hearts!
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Amen to that Louise. ❤
Diana xo
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After our son’s death and now many years later working with client’s who sometimes live in regret and shame their whole life, it is always good to remind each that one day we will all die and so, how do we want to remember our life? This is an important topic, thanks Diana. 🙂
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Thanks Karen and you’re welcome. ❤
Diana xo
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I’m living the best I can and making sure to express myself, Diana. Thank you, my friend. ❤
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Mark, I think you do a great job of expressing yourself! ❤
Diana xo
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I agree with four out of the five # 1, 3, 4 & 5 are ones to aim for (or rather regrets to avoid) but # 2 should be qualified. The nurse who did the survey said that one came only from the men in her study and they were all from an era where the man worked and the woman did not and the men regretted spending time with their children. So it seems to me it was missing out on the children that they regretted, rather than working too hard. Times have now changed and the younger generation of males are spending more time with their young children. Besides, as you said in your comment to Ute, one needs to make enough to not feel stressed and to be able to have enough money to do all those other things in life that makes one happy (and in my case having the funds to travel and visit my son living in Canada and hopefully next visit call in on friends in Calgary 🙂 ).
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It would be unbelievably awesome if you made it out to Calgary Elizabeth! ❤
Diana xo
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You gotta go for it!!
Thanks for the reminder Diana 🙂
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You’re welcome and thank you Val! ❤
Diana xo
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Diana,
Likewise,we may not win every battle we encounter in life, but we can keep up the fight.
-Alan
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absolutely. Thanks for chiming in Alan. ❤
Diana xo
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Diana, that has been a favourite quote of mine for years now, and I do my best to follow it. Live life without fear. And yes, let yourself be happier. ❤
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It’s the first time I’ve ever seen that quote and I like it too Jennifer! Do you know who it is attributed to? ❤
Diana xo
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No, author unknown on my source. But doesn’t it make you think of the other saying: Nothing ventured, nothing gained? 😉
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and one my mom always says, “no pain, no gain.” 🙂
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Oh yes I don’t want to say these things…. I only need to work on the second one and make no overtime hours ( which are not paid anyway).
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Good one Ute! In retrospect, I probably need to figure out my working life so as to make a bit more money, whether through my business or getting a regular job. It’s nice to have enough, thus allowing one to pursue the other points on the list. 🙂
Diana xo
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