Top regrets people have in their final days

Top regrets people have in their final days 
Family Minded; by Owen Chase; updated on 9/17/25 
... When doctors and nurses spend time at the bedside, they listen to regrets that cut through small talk and trends. These regrets tell us that the things we don’t do often weigh more than the mistakes we make. 

• Skipping the Simple Words ...
• Outworking Themselves ...
• Ducking the Camera ...
• Forgetting Presence Counts ...
• Passing on the Hat ...
• Living Someone Else’s Story ...
• Saving Too Hard ...
• Delaying the Trip ...
• Letting Friendships Slip ...
• Refusing to Let Go of Grudges ...
• Skipping the Deeper Stuff ...
• Calling Hospice Too Late ...
• Not Learning to Say No ...
• Staying Where It Hurt ...

Editor's Note: In business, we measure success with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). But what about the measures that matter most—those that guide how we live, love, and lead? At the bedside, people share regrets that remind us the truest indicators are not quarterly numbers, but daily choices. Which of these regrets speaks to you most deeply? What might it look like to course-correct—not someday, but today, or even this weekend? Learning from those we serve, may we be brave enough to turn regrets into reminders, and reminders into new ways of living.