Death can teach us how to live

I recently took a certification course to become an End of Life Doula.

An End of Life Doula assists families and their loved ones that are terminally ill prepare for death. We help take the fear out of death so that there can be a sacred memory for the patient and their family, help with funeral planning, legacy work, and much more.

In that course and from personal experience, I’ve learned that people look at death in many ways.

One thing I know is that death can teach us how to live. Stay with me…

Looking at our own mortality can show us things we’re doing well and things we want to do differently.

None of us are promised tomorrow or even the next minute.

That’s why we need to live as fully as possible while we’re here. I’ve heard many times that the biggest regret of people on their death bed was not doing or saying things because they were afraid to.

This is where looking at our own mortality can help us.

I invite you to take some time to reflect on your life.

What have I done that makes me the proudest?

What more could I do?

What brought me and the people closest to me the most joy?

How can I bring more joy?

What beautiful, meaningful connections have I made?

How can I keep growing them?

What do I need to forgive myself for?

Who do I want to ask forgiveness from?

Who do I want to thank?

Who do I want to say I love you to?

At the end of our life what will matter is the relationship we have with ourselves and the ones we treasure with others.

The legacy we leave behind is what we put out into the world. We create a ripple effect that goes far beyond our comprehension and changes the world in miraculous ways.

When we change the world changes.