Embracing Death- Today Is A Good Day To Die

Every once in a while, I do a journaling exercise called embracing death. As I go through this exercise, I review my life to see if my priorities are in order and if there is anything left undone if I should die. Some of the questions I ask myself include:

• Am I spending my time today according to my priorities? Even if I die today, have I planned out my life according to those priorities?
• Have I nourished my relationships? Do the people close to me know that I love them? The last thing I tell people is that I love them. If I never see them again, they will remember that I loved them because it was the last thing they heard from me.
• Is my house in order? If I should die, do I have clear instructions on what to do when I’m gone? Is my living will up to date? Is it in the hands of someone I trust?
• Am I at peace right now? Have I forgiven everyone, including myself?

When I get done with this journaling exercise, I look at anything that is out of alignment and take immediate action. Every day, when I wake up, I choose to say to myself, “today is a good day to die” because I know I could move on to the next adventure without any hesitation or regrets.

Yesterday, I virtually attended the funeral of a friend that was 46 years old and died suddenly. His passing made this “embracing death” journaling exercise even more pertinent, so I thought I’d share what I do. If you try it, I’d love to get your feedback on how it worked for you.

We never know when we’re going to die, but every day, we’re one day closer to our death, so we might as well embrace it as part of the journey. Today is a good day to die.