Why Thinking About Death Might Be the Best Thing You Do This Week

This isn’t easy to say, but it’s something I’ve been sitting with lately. And I want to invite you to sit with it too:

One day, your life will end.

That’s not meant to be dramatic, just honest. And when you really let that land as a truth, it changes things.

It begs the question:

If you found out today was your last day, what would you do or say differently?

Who would you reach out to?

What truth would you stop hiding?

What would suddenly stop mattering?

Most of us live as if we have unlimited time. We tick boxes, answer emails, sit in meetings, scroll… We save meaningful stuff for “later.”

Later, when we’re less busy.

Later, when we feel more confident.

Later, when the timing is right.

As this Tweet summed it up perfectly:

Brutal. But accurate.

But we’re not wired to make “later” count… unless we’re reminded that time is finite.

That reminder is called mortality salience or death awareness – the awareness that we’re not here forever.

It sounds heavy. And it can be. Studies show that when people are reminded of their mortality without any sense of purpose or meaning, it can increase anxiety, defensiveness, even materialism.

We panic. We distract. We avoid.

But the research also shows something else.

When you pair mortality salience with reflection, values, or purpose, it becomes fuel. It can be a gift that enhances your mental health and can lead to:

Greater life satisfaction

Less regret and rumination

Higher motivation to act on goals, and

More gratitude and presence

(See: Cozzolino et al., 2004, and Gailliot et al., 2009)

In other words, the awareness that life ends can make you feel more alive.

But for most of the people I’ve spoken to, they never actually taken the time to pause and ask themselves what really matters most.

So, if you need a starting point…

A Simple Practice to be More Intentional:

You don’t need a journal, a retreat, or a life crisis. Just 30 minutes and some space to breathe.

Step 1: Block 30 minutes of uninterrupted time.

Phone on silent. Laptop closed. Find a quiet space, outside or inside, where you can be with yourself.

Step 2: Spend the first 10 minutes doing nothing.

Sit in stillness. Breathe. Meditate. Pray.

Let your mind settle. Let your thoughts come and go.

Just… be.

Step 3: Ask yourself one question:

“If I found out today was my last day… what would I do or say differently?”

Then write freely. No editing, no judgment. Let it all out.

–What would you regret not saying?

–What would you stop tolerating?

–Who would you reach out to?

–What small moment would you savor more?

Step 4: Choose one thing – and do it.

Not all of it. Just one small, brave thing.

Send the message. Speak the truth. Set the boundary.

Take a small courageous step that aligns with what really matters.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

✅ Say what you’ve been meaning to say.

Send the message. Make the call. Don’t wait for perfect words. Be honest.

✅ Let go of what weighs you down.

That grudge. That pressure to prove. That thing you keep beating yourself up over.

Ask yourself: Would this matter if I only had one more day?

If not, release it.

✅ Choose the kind of discomfort that makes you grow.

Apply. Speak up. Take the risk.

Because there’s one thing more uncomfortable than fear: regret.

You can’t control how much time you have. But you can choose how present, honest, and alive you are in the time you’ve got.

So…

What’s one thing you’ll do differently today?