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The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware Summary

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying
Bronnie Ware
3.77 (12650 Reviews)
Self-growth
Inspiration
Psychology
Overview
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Author
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Overview of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

A hospice nurse reveals the five most common deathbed confessions from her patients. Translated into 27 languages after her viral blog reached 8 million readers, Bronnie Ware's intimate insights will forever change how you measure a life well-lived.

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Key takeaways

1

What the Dying Taught Me About Living

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A woman grips your hand in her final days and whispers words that will haunt you forever: "I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself." This moment changed everything for Bronnie Ware, a former banker turned palliative care worker who spent years sitting beside the dying in their most vulnerable moments. What she discovered wasn't just a collection of deathbed confessions-it was a roadmap for the living, a blueprint for a life without regrets. Her simple blog post about the five most common regrets expressed by dying patients reached over three million readers in its first year, struck a chord with Oprah, and sparked a global conversation about what truly matters. But these weren't abstract philosophical musings. These were raw, tearful admissions from people who could finally see their lives with brutal clarity, stripped of all pretense and social performance. Their wisdom came at the highest cost-a lifetime of missed opportunities-yet they offered it freely as a final gift to those still walking the path they could no longer travel.

2

The Courage to Be Yourself in a World That Wants Otherwise

3

The Trap of Working Yourself to Death

4

The Weight of Words Never Spoken

5

Friends: The Family We Choose and Often Neglect

6

Happiness: The Permission You've Been Waiting to Give Yourself

7

Living Without Regrets: Your Turn to Choose

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@Raaaaaachelw
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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
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star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
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96
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
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