My earliest encounter with the death of a friend was when an “uncle” I’d grown up around, lost his battle with cancer. I didn’t get to see him but I remember the feeling of insecurity it gave me in my preteen years.
A few years later, I literally came face to face with death, when we had to put our dog, Spots, down after a car accident. Watching the life drain from his trusting eyes, as I held his head in my hands, was not something I was prepared for. Every time I remember that day, I am unable to shake the deep sadness that floods over me.
In this Video:
00:20 – Passing Away and Leaving Loved Ones Early
00:48 – Appreciate It Before It’s Gone
01:05 – A Limited Resource
01:38 – What Really, REALLY Matters?
02:04 – You Want to Know This – Easier Than You Think
02:32 – It Might Not Hit You Until You Reach This Point
03:05 – Have YOU Loved Openly and Without Fea?
03:30 – Why Would You Judge?
02:15 – Quote from Angelina Jolie
03:19 – Affirmation to Help You Move Forward
Listen To The Audio:
Watch The Video
Transcription:
If you’ve ever lost someone in your life to death, it’s quite a sobering experience. It really makes you think!
Not too long ago, I was talking to my ex on the phone. She told me about an old acquaintance of ours, who had passed away a couple months earlier and I hadn’t known anything about it.
Passing Away and Leaving Loved Ones Early
She was explaining some of the difficulties and challenges the children she left behind were having and experiencing and how she got involved in helping them to move on and deal with the experience they were going through.
Hearing about that was very difficult for me but it did get me thinking.
It got me thinking about the life that I do have, the life that we all have, and how we should cherish it.
[callout]Update: Have you checked out my book? I just released “So? Start Over!: Experience Clarity, Do What Matters, Live Your Dream” which includes worksheets, cheatsheets, and bonus material. Click here to check it out![/callout]Appreciate It Before It’s Gone
Here are six thoughts I would like to leave you with about your life, in the face of death or in the face of a difficult situation, that can help you live life more fully and, I would hope, help you appreciate and make the most of the life you do have.
Alright, here’s the first thought that I would like to leave you with.
1. Remember you only have a finite number of days is this world.
Yep, your days are numbered. You can’t just keep adding to them at will. The day is gonna come, so learn to be grateful for every day that you have and appreciate today, this day, as if it were your very last day. Be grateful and experience everything that life has to give you.
2. Take some time to look around, look on you life and pay attention. What is it in you life, that really matters?
[shareable cite=”Abe Stone”]What really matters?[/shareable]Not just, “Oh, I really want to do this. I really want to experience this. I really want to have this. ”
Yes, those things are great, but what really is important in your life?
- Is it family?
- Is it a sense of belonging?
- Is it growth?
Think about those things. What is it that really matters to you?
3. You want to know that, when you get to the end, you gave it your all, you didn’t hold back, you didn’t pull back out of fear, you didn’t avoid things because of what other people think.
…whatever it is that would keep you from really giving your all.
- By giving your all, be generous.
- Be generous with your smiles.
- Be generous with your care.
- Be generous with your money.
- Be generous with your possessions, with your time.
4. Take care of the body that you have and it will serve you well.
This one has been hitting me more as I’ve been getting older. This body is wearing out. It’s designed like that. That’s just what happens.
As we grow older, this body just doesn’t last forever, but there are things that I can do every day to ensure that I get the most out of this body.
- I take good care of my health.
- I drink the water that I need.
- I get the exercise that I need.
I have other posts on this topic as well,if you’re interested in self-care.
[callout]SELF-CARE SERIES
4 Self-Care Areas to Nurture and Prevent Burnout
6 Ways Your Mind Wants You to Care For It So You Won’t Lose It
5 Ways to Give Your Body What it Needs to Serve You Well
6 Ways You Want to Rejuvenate Your Spirit[/callout]
Take care of the body that you have and it will serve you well.
5. Learn to love fully and openly.
This means so many different things to many people. I think sometimes this word is overused or abused.
Learn to love.
- Love fully.
- Love openly.
- Love without fear.
- Love without fear of loss.
- Love without fear of the love coming back.
- Give that love that’s in your heart.
You might say this last one is similar to some of the other ones, but I think it deserves it’s own attention.
6. Live a positive life, without judgement of others.
You are here for a short time and some people will still be here when you are gone.
[shareable cite=”Abe Stone”]Life is too short to live in that negative cycle of vengeance, judgement, or hurting others needlessly.[/shareable]Tread lightly on this earth and leave it a better place than when you came.
And now, here’s your quote for this week.
[shareable cite=”Angelina Jolie”]There’s something about death that is comforting. The thought that you could die tomorrow frees you to appreciate your life now.[/shareable]Here’s your affirmation for this week.
[shareable cite=”Abe Stone”] I live fully and fearlessly. #affirmation[/shareable]
