You’re going to die one day. Exactly when that will be is anyone’s guess. After all, as I’ve said more times than I can recall…
No one promised you tomorrow.
Unless you’ve recently received a clinical diagnosis that includes an estimated timeline, there’s no definitive way to know when your time here on this Earth will expire. Even then, there lies little more than an expectation. The precise timing is still unknown.
“The beginning of understanding is contained in a glimpse of the end.”
Let’s face it, we typically don’t make a habit of contemplating our own mortality because…well, it can be kind of depressing. But what if I showed you how to think about your mortality in a manner that would actually enhance the experiences you have while you’re still very much alive?
Contemplating the fragile nature of your own life can be a bit of a challenge. But if you think about it in terms as simple as your absence from the space you typically occupy, it’ll help you to remove one of the biggest obstacles to self-awareness and discovery—you.
Thinking about what life would be like after you’re gone helps you to discover the boundaries of your existence and provides a very broad and beneficial perspective. In other words, when we visualize “the end”, one of the things we realize is that we can actually see the beginning of so much more. Of the most significant things we will see, is that life, for everyone and everything else, will go on. When we begin to realize this truth, we become acutely aware of the things that matter. Stay with me here, because this is significant. As we begin to actually recognize the things that matter, we begin to acknowledge the significance of the things we see. Our acknowledgment is the beginning of understanding that our existence is a part of the entirety of life. This perspective is the power position that leads to meaningful experiences from that moment forward.
A selfless perspective leads to true awareness.
The more selfless we are, the more aware we become. The more aware we are, the more enlightened we are to everything that surrounds us, sustains us, and fulfills us. We also begin to understand ourselves better as we gain clarity and awareness. This fresh new perspective leads to all kinds of wondrous changes. In no time you’ll discover how you have no time for any nonsense and will begin to do what really matters to you and the quality of your life. You’ll have focus unlike you’ve ever had because you will suddenly realize how short this life really is. You’ll devote your time and attention to the people and experiences you’ve been putting off for “the right time”. You’ll realize that you should be doing only what truly matters to you.
The reason we give in to so many distractions is that we don’t truly understand the perishable nature of time. If you’re conscious of your own mortality you will become more aware because the significance of being alive will blossom. You will not take for granted the things you have in the past and will pursue life with passion, courage, and conviction.
Every life on this planet strives to become a full-fledged life. The question is no longer what you will be when you grow up but WHO you will become in the process.
Life is a process.
What will be the experiences in your life? The choice is yours. It always has been yours. If your ability to experience fails to grow, then you can have everything and still, your experience is the same. Ah, but you say, if I have everything then my experiences will also grow. To that, I say…perhaps. But there are no guarantees.
You must discriminate experience with the empty trappings of life. It is only because you are aware that you are alive. Therefore, seek awareness through the perspective of your own mortality and you will discover a fundamental truth that is as personal and effective as it gets.
