March - NO REGRETS
There are five common regrets expressed by people at the end of life. Often shared as wishes, these regrets point to feelings of sorrow for what might have been having different choices been made.
I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not what others expected of me.
I wish I had not worked so much.
I wish I had had the courage to express my feelings.
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends/learned to make new friends.
I wish I had allowed myself to be happier.
We all experience setbacks, losses, and disappointments that we didn’t cause. Yet, regret is different because it is an emotional state that involves blaming ourselves for a disappointing outcome that we had an active role or some control over.
In this conversation, think about your definition of a ‘life well-lived.’
What is your definition of a life well-lived and has it changed over time?
How does it feel to read this list of common regrets? Do any of these regrets resonate with you?
The above list was compiled in the 1980s. What would you revise, update or add to reflect your deepest values?
What regrets do you carry today?
What regrets have you laid to rest, and what steps did you take to stop feeling bad about that time?
Do you think regrets can be a good thing?
What are some takeaways from this conversation?