From Regret to Intentional Living: Transforming the Five Regrets of the Dying into Five Intentions of the Living
We all have moments when we reflect on our lives and wonder if we’re truly living in alignment with what matters most. Are we honouring our deepest values? Are we embracing joy, expressing our truth, and nurturing the relationships that bring us comfort and connection?
Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, famously captured the profound reflections of her dying patients in her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. These regrets serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of living authentically and intentionally. But what if, instead of waiting until the end, we could turn these regrets into a guiding light for our everyday lives? What if we could transform them into intentions that lead us toward a life of fulfillment and joy?
Let’s explore how we can shift from regret to intentional living through the practice of Reflect and Realign—a simple yet powerful way to connect with your core values, realign your actions, and live with purpose.
The Five Regrets of the Dying
Ware identified the five most common regrets expressed by people at the end of their lives:
"I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me."
"I wish I hadn't worked 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 I had let myself be happier."
These regrets highlight universal truths about our deepest needs for authenticity, connection, emotional expression, and joy. They also remind us of the urgency to live fully and mindfully, making conscious choices that reflect who we truly are.
Transforming Regrets into Intentions: The Five Intentions of the Living
Instead of waiting until we’re looking back at our lives with regret, we can transform these insights into powerful intentions that guide our daily lives. Here’s how we can reframe each regret into a living intention:
Live Authentically: Commit to making choices that align with your true self, honouring your values, passions, and dreams. Let your life reflect who you are at your core, not the expectations of others.
Prioritize Balance: Value your time and energy. Choose balance over busyness by making space for what truly matters—rest, connection, and experiences that enrich your life beyond work.
Speak Your Truth: Embrace the courage to express your feelings openly and honestly. Honour your emotional experiences, knowing that your voice deserves to be heard.
Nurture Your Connections: Make time to cultivate and maintain meaningful relationships. Reach out to loved ones, cherish shared moments, and keep the bonds that bring joy and comfort alive.
Choose Joy: Allow yourself to experience happiness without guilt or reservation. Lean into moments of joy, playfulness, and gratitude, recognizing that happiness is not just a fleeting feeling but a choice you can make every day.
Introducing Reflect and Realign: A Practice to Live with Intention
Living with intention doesn’t happen by accident. It requires a conscious commitment to pause, reflect, and realign your life with what matters most. That’s why I’ve created the Reflect and Realign practice—a guided journey that helps you connect deeply with these five intentions and make actionable shifts in your daily life.
Reflect and Realign combines mindfulness, journaling, visualization, and action planning to help you move from simply wishing for change to actively creating it. This practice is designed to help you:
Identify areas where you may feel out of alignment.
Reflect on your values and how you want to live.
Create simple, achievable steps to bring your life closer to your true intentions.
Integrate these intentions into your daily routine through micro-intentions that keep your values top of mind.
Ready to Start Living with Intention?
If you’re ready to transform regret into meaningful action and live a life aligned with your true self, I invite you to explore the Reflect and Realign practice - it’s free. This guided exercise will support you in cultivating a life filled with authenticity, balance, expression, connection, and joy.
Click here to access the Reflect and Realign practice.
Let’s take this journey together—one that honours not just the life we have, but the life we truly want to live. You deserve to live without regrets, embracing each day with intention, purpose, and fulfillment.
