We never stop thinking that our time here is limited. Unlike God, we are mere mortals whose lives are going to end one day. And the sad truth is that we never know when it will happen. For some, it will be a peaceful transition from the physical to the spiritual world when you reach old age. For others, it will be a sudden and painful experience with no opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones.
Unless you work in law enforcement, military, fire, or some other life-threatening job, chances are you’ll go through your days never stopping to think you’ve got it. an expiration date, just like the food you bought at the supermarket a few days ago. I’m not trying to make you sad or depressed. Unfortunately, that’s how life goes. Tomorrow I could die in a car accident, be run over by a car, be shot, contract a terminal illness, or simply die of old age in a few decades.
There is so much stigma and taboos attached to this topic. In short, everyone wants to avoid talking about it. The purpose of this article is to remove all the fear behind it and talk about this difficult topic in the easiest and most enjoyable way possible to swallow it down your throat.
1. Learn to enjoy the moment, but don’t get addicted to instant gratification
“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t expect something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think about how valuable the time you spend, whether at work or with family, really is. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored. – Earl Nightingale
We tend to think that there will always be a tomorrow and thus end up forgetting the brevity of life. It’s only when a loved one dies that we remember that we’re all going to die one day. But a few days after your loved one’s funeral, everyone resumes their daily lives and then this reminder of the fragility of our lives fades from our minds.
2. Learn to be happy with who you are and what you have already achieved in this life
“Learn from yesterday, live today, hope for tomorrow.” – Orison Swett Marden
I’m not asking you to stop trying to improve your life or accept a life of mediocrity. Life has its ups and downs, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find happiness and joy right now, even if we haven’t achieved all of our goals.
3. Accept that you can’t achieve all your dreams in this life.
“The man who seeks only one thing in life, and only one, can hope to attain it before life is finished; But he who seeks everything, wherever he goes, reaps from the hopes he sows around him, only a harvest of sterile regrets. –Owen Meredith
I don’t know if I’ll live long enough to visit English castles in Britain or become fluent in Latin to be closer to my Roman ancestors. Regardless of what I’ll be able to achieve with the time I have left here, don’t waste your time trying to become a jack-of-all-trades.
When I was younger, I wasted too much time trying to be good at several things at once. This is the main reason why I recommend that you pick just one or two skills/goals and focus all your energy and willpower for the next 40 years of your life if you want to master them. A jack-of-all-trades can know a bit of everything, but unfortunately that comes at a high cost. He will never master any of them!
4. Prepare a will for your loved ones and leave them a message
“My soul can only find a stairway to Heaven through the beauty of Earth.” – Michelangelo
If there is something or several things that you want to tell your loved ones before you go to the other side, I recommend that you write all these things in a letter and ask someone in whom you have trust, like a close friend or a trusted lawyer, to give it to them every time you die.
Many people never stop thinking about leaving a will for their loved ones, especially their children, and this can be detrimental to the future of your children and your family. I don’t know how the US laws are on this, since I only lived there for a few years, but at least here in Brazil, often children or young adults who have just lost their mother or father go crazy , therefore losing part of their inheritance thanks to an older brother or a clever mother-in-law / father-in-law who takes advantage of a lack of will. All of this could have been avoided if their parents had left a very clear will.
Even if you’re still a young man, at least make sure you start thinking about making arrangements so that this doesn’t happen to your loved ones. After all, it can harm their future well-being.
5. Make amends/peace before leaving this realm
“To err is human; to forgive, divine. – Alexandre Pape
If you’ve ever had a fight or done something wrong with someone you deeply love and regret doing it, it’s time to sprout some balls and apologize to that person. If they ghost you or they don’t accept, it’s their fault and the onus will be with them. You’ve done your part, so you can feel relieved.
6. Accept that death is inevitable in the law of nature
The journey our soul has to go through to leave our body and return to the Kingdom of God is scary enough for most of us.
Right now we haven’t been able to put a brain in a jar and make it work. And even if we do that, I ask: is it really worth extending your life beyond your biological expiration date? The idea of living another 200 years stuck in a pot hooked up to a supercomputer doesn’t sound like living at all. I prefer not to try to prolong my stay on this planet if I cannot live it fully.
7. Accept that death can come unexpectedly
“Know that sickness and other temporal setbacks often come to us from the hand of God our Lord, and are sent to help us know ourselves better, to free ourselves from the love of created things, and to reflect on the brevity of this life and, thus, to prepare us for life which is endless. – Saint Ignatius
Wars, unexpected health problems, accidents and natural disasters all play a role. It’s a sad fact of life. Even if you are young, you risk dying. This is why I ask you to make an effort to enjoy every moment even if your life is not perfect. Tomorrow may be your last day.
8. Don’t Be Afraid When The Grim Reaper Comes
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. – Ecclesiastes 12:7
Have no fear when it comes time to leave this realm. Be proud of all your personal, biological and financial achievements! You will always be able to watch the future of your loved ones and your legacy in paradise.
Conclusion
Our time in this world is limited. Every day is a blessing by the grace of God.
Life has its ups and downs, but that’s no excuse for not using our time here properly. Since none of us have a crystal ball to know what day the Lord will call us back to his heavenly palace, I want you to promise that from now on you will do your best to stop complain about your current situation and start thanking God for giving you the power to live another day.
Every day is a blessing! We all have our sad stories to tell, but it is very important for us to make an effort to improve ourselves every day, until we find ourselves six feet under.
Read more: 9 Secrets to Living a Happy Life