A doctor who has cared for people in their final moments has revealed the five regrets she hears most often from those nearing the end.
For many, the thought of dying can be unsettling. Most people hope for a long, happy life filled with purpose, but circumstances don’t always allow that to happen.
As life draws to a close, it’s common for people to look back and wish they’d done certain things differently.
That theme has been discussed before by Bronnie Ware, an author and nurse who works with people in the last weeks of their lives. She’s said many patients share the same wish: that they’d been brave enough to live more authentically when they had the opportunity.
“When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled,” she shared.
“Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.”
More recently, Shoshana Ungerleider, an internal medicine doctor, has described hearing similar reflections from patients approaching death—particularly around missed chances and decisions shaped by anxiety.
Sharing five recurring regrets, Ungerleider said one of them is: ‘I let fear control my decisions and didn’t take risks.’
She told CNBC Make It that the others are:
To reduce the chance of arriving at the end of life with those feelings, Ungerleider recommends taking time—regardless of your age—to think about your own mortality.
She argues that this type of reflection can shape how we live day to day, making it easier to prioritize what matters and build a life with more direction.
And when it comes to protecting your health so you can enjoy life for longer, she added: “As a doctor, I’d recommend eating a balanced diet, and exercising regularly, and avoiding things like smoking and high-risk activities.”
Hospice nurse and social media creator Julie McFadden, widely known as Hospice Nurse Julie, has echoed similar concerns in the past, particularly about smoking and what she considers unnecessary hazards—such as riding motorcycles and ATVs.
“I would not ride an ATV, AKA four-wheeler, or a motorcycle. Helmet or no helmet. No bueno,” she said previously.
She has also cautioned that vaping can be just as harmful as smoking.