The second regret, however, is even more common and highlights an area where many of us have greater control. Julie shared, “The main thing people say, that I don’t hear a lot of people mention, is, ‘I wish I would have appreciated my health.’”

Health is often taken for granted when everything feels fine, but illness—whether a mild cold or something much more severe—can swiftly remind us of its value. Having witnessed these regrets repeatedly, Julie has sought to apply her patients’ wisdom to her own life. She now writes a nightly “gratitude list” to reflect on the small but significant blessings often overlooked.

“I like the fact that I can breathe, I’m walking around, I can feel the sunshine—little things like that,” she explained. “I think the biggest thing I hear from people [who are] dying is that they wish they would have appreciated how well they felt before.”

Julie is also candid about why she’s committed to speaking openly about death. “I believe that people should know about the dying process before they’re actually going through it with a loved one or themselves,” she said.

Through her work, Julie hopes to reshape how people perceive and approach death—an inevitable yet profoundly meaningful part of life.