Why You Should Say No More Often: Step By Step Tips on Living A Regret Free Life with Bronnie Ware

Dhru Purohit Show

Dhru Purohit

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.7 • 3.4K Ratings

🗓️ 22 October 2025

⏱️ 83 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers, Masa Chips, and Ollie. Life has a way of teaching us what truly matters, but often, those lessons come too late. In this episode, we explore the timeless wisdom that comes from facing the end of life and reflecting on what’s most important. Today on The Dhru Purohit Show, Dhru sits down with Bronnie Ware to discuss the top five regrets of the dying. Bronnie shares powerful lessons she learned from patients on their deathbeds during her years as a palliative care nurse. She talks about why it’s so difficult for many people to say no, how deeply ingrained people-pleasing can become in our identities, and the freedom that comes from slowing down in a world that glorifies constant hustle. Bronnie also explores how failing to express yourself can keep you from living the life you truly want. Bronnie Ware, author of the international bestselling memoir The Top Five Regrets of the Dying (published in 32 languages), is also a TEDx speaker who has been featured in interviews with The Wall Street Journal, ABC Radio National, Dr. Wayne Dyer, The Guardian, Marie Forleo, The Sunday Times, Lewis Howes, Harvard Business Review, and numerous other publications worldwide. Based in Australia, she advocates for simplicity and the importance of creating space to breathe, encouraging others to find courage, follow their hearts, and trust that life will provide the shortcuts. In this episode, Dhru and Bronnie dive into: Why it’s so difficult to say no (1:53) Permission to live a life true to yourself (6:37) Finding the courage to slow down in our modern world (10:30) Bronnie’s journey and how she chose to follow her passion (19:30) Facing the pain of dying and making the most of life (24:34) Working hard but missing out on truly living (30:00) Dhru’s Man Morning community (36:11) The need for control vs. the courage to let go (38:33) Divine love as the greater intelligence guiding our lives (40:50) Lessons from Bronnie’s time with people nearing death (46:20) The regret of not expressing your true feelings (48:45) Losing touch with friends and community (59:15) Permission to be happy and feel joy (1:08:54) Learning through mistakes and cultivating self-compassion (1:15:38) Final thoughts and takeaways (1:19:16) Also mentioned in this episode: The Top Five Regrets of the Dying For more on Bronnie, follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or visit her Website. This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers, Masa Chips, and Ollie. Go to bioptimizers.com/dhru now and enter promo code DHRU to get 30% off any order of Magenesium Breakthrough and find out this month’s gift with purchase. Ready to enjoy my favorite chips made with just three clean ingredients? Head to masachips.com/DHRU and use code DHRU for 25% off your first order of Masa. Want to give your dog the best in clean eating? Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Right now, Ollie is offering 60% off your first box of meals when you subscribe today! Just head to Ollie.com, use the code DHRU, and you’ll get 60% off your first box of meals in your subscription. Sign up for Dhru’s Try This Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Today, I'm talking with brawny Ware, who spent years as a palliative care nurse sitting
0:04.8	at the bedside of people in their final days and moments, listening and hearing them as they
0:11.1	shared their deepest life regrets. Those raw and honest conversations led to her groundbreaking
0:17.7	book, The Top Five Regrets of the D dying, which was an international bestseller
0:22.7	and inspired millions around the world to rethink what truly matters before it's too late.
0:30.4	Her message is simple, but life-changing, a regret-free life, which is something that I want,
0:35.7	and I know you want that too, isn't about
0:38.0	doing more or having some major bucketless.
0:41.2	It's about choosing to live courageously and honoring who you are.
0:46.5	And by the way, that's easier said than done.
0:49.4	And honestly, we all need a little help, living this practically in our lives, which is what today's interview
0:55.3	is about. So to kick us off for today's interview, I asked Brony, one of the most burning questions
1:00.1	that I had, and I know you have it too, which is how do we get better at stepping into the power
1:06.2	of saying no? I just find that if you don't say no, then you're running on empty too much.
1:13.4	And one of the things that I've learned for my own well-being,
1:17.5	for my happiness and health,
1:19.1	is that space is medicine.
1:21.5	And so leaving space is really essential for me
1:25.3	to function at my best in the world as a mom, as a professional person.
1:31.9	One of the things I've learned by saying no is that life rewards courage.
1:37.9	And so sometimes you can say no, am I doing the right thing here, saying no to an opportunity
1:43.5	that may have opened
	...

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