Living with death in mind.
A shortcut to clarity and focus.
Do you want more clarity,
Motivation,
And focus in your life?
There's an easy yet painful way to achieve that.
Contemplate your mortality.
We all know that we will die.
But few of us live each day with an active awareness that today could be our last.
Why do we close our eyes to the uncertainty and impermanence of our lives?
Because it's painful.
Life is dear.
And we don't want to think about it ending.
We prefer to pretend it's not going to happen and forget about it.
Living in a semi-reactive mode.
We scroll,
We plan,
We rush.
Doing everything except looking death in the eye.
When we do that.
.
.
We lose perspective.
We fall prey to instant gratification and meaningless pursuits.
Pleasure makes us temporarily oblivious to the reality of death.
And so for a moment.
.
.
On a subconscious level.
It feels as if we have conquered death.
And found the meaning of life.
Until that illusion collapses.
The next moment.
Instead,
Try the way of the higher mind.
Face the reality of impermanence head on.
Think about the fact that you will die.
That your life will end.
Once that understanding truly lands.
A shift begins inside of you.
Busyness feels pointless.
Worries feel overrated.
Trivialities lose their hold on you.
Instant gratification is seen as just a distraction.
Pursuing inauthentic goals is a waste of life.
Limitation breeds focus.
It makes you pay attention to what matters most.
Your core values and aspirations.
Living with the awareness that my days are numbered.
Can bring anxiety to the lower mind.
But when it is guided by our higher mind.
What we experience from this awareness is clarity.
Focus,
And motivation.
This is also why we have so many stories of people who almost died.
And came back with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.
Their close contact with death made them more aware of how to live.
And this awareness is something that can also be cultivated.
In fact,
Stoic philosophers,
Buddhist monks,
And Hindu yogis all recommend the practice of contemplating the impermanence of life.
Exercise.
The Final Life Review.
If you read this article,
Think it makes sense.
But never give yourself enough time to digest the reality of impermanence?
Then the benefits you will get are minimal.
Take 30 minutes right now to properly do this exercise.
Or schedule a time in your calendar to go through it sometime this month.
Step 1.
Start by bringing your body and mind to a state of calmness.
Using whatever meditation style you like.
Or just by breathing slow and deep for a couple of minutes.
Step number two.
Imagine yourself in the last moment of your life.
Having a flashback of your entire life.
Make it as real as possible.
Step number three.
Then ask yourself some or all of the following questions.
Giving yourself at least a couple of minutes for each.
How do I feel about my life?
What do I regret doing?
What do I regret not doing?
What moments am I most grateful for?
What gave my life the deepest sense of meaning?
Which relationships truly matter to me?
When did I feel most alive?
Most myself.
What truths did I know?
But avoided living by.
What would I have done?
If I truly believed time was short.
Can I let go peacefully now?
Or is something still unfinished?
Pay close attention to the feelings that come up as you ask these questions.
After you finish the exercise.
Journal your key insights.
And review your journal at least once a month.
To better integrate your insights into daily life.
Consider repeating this exercise a few times per year to deepen it.
These are really powerful questions.
For some people.
This exercise is a complete game changer.
Don't wait for the hospital bed to ask these questions.
Ask them today.
While your heart still beats with power.
Final thoughts.
When we lose sight of the impermanence of our lives.
We get bogged down by problems,
Goals,
And activities that don't truly matter.
When we contemplate the shortness of life.
We gain a certain sense of clarity and focus.
We then realize that death is not a scary event to try to forget.
But an ever-present teacher.
We need to respect and embrace.
This awareness of death then.
Will purify your life of all the clutter.
It will elevate your consciousness.
And show you how to be more alive.
Than ever before.
