Death really gets in the way of living

The only thing better than seeing a local stand-up comedy show about grief and death is when your partner takes you to see it on Valentine’s Day.

Yes, that was the date she took me on last Friday. The comedy was better than I expected. But I’m not here to talk about that.

Today I’m thinking about how death—or, more specifically, the fear of death—gets in the way of truly living.

I, personally, am not afraid of being dead. I am terrified of suffering and pain, but being dead doesn’t seem at all scary to me.

I view being dead as simply non-existence. The world did just fine without my existence up until 57 years ago, and it will do just fine without my existence for the next five billion years (when the sun will explode).

Even so, mortality is a funny thing. It really gets in the way of living a fulfilling life.

If you haven’t come to peace with your mortality, you may waste your whole life trying to avoid it. You can’t. We are all going to die.

So, what do you want to do with the time you have?

A lot of people spend it chasing happiness instead of living in happiness. Others work hard to build a legacy so their name lives on, even though they will not. Others spend so much energy trying to stave off death that they have no energy left to experience joy right now.

How do you find your own balance between living in the moment, preparing for tomorrow, and building a legacy?

It’s complicated. And about as individual and personal as things get.

It starts with coming to peace with the fact that someday you will be dead. And that will be permanent. Forever after. It’s a one-way road.

So, what do you want to do with the time you have left? What makes up a fulfilling life in your mind?

It’s pretty unlikely you know when your last day will be.

When do you want to start living that fulfilling life?

Might as well be today. Don’t you think?

Please beta-read my new book!

I’ve just finished the draft of a book on how to create and live your fulfilling life. It includes the best and most popular articles from this blog as well as new material and several exercises I haven’t published before. I am looking for beta readers. It’s short, but it will challenge you to think!

Email me to let me know you want in.

All I ask in return is that you (a) actually read it, (b) give me whatever comments you have, and (c) give me a blurb if you honestly like it.

I am especially looking for people who’ve had a successful first half of their lives and now want to shape the second half of their lives with meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. I’d also love to have several other professional coaches read it.

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