Death Is Your Friend?

It might just be a friend who reminds you that one day you will not be alive. And so, what is your plan while you are living?

Let's start with a fact. No one is getting out of here alive. So, the bigger question is, what did you do before death? There are some folks who spend their income like a drunken sailor right now thinking they could be dead tomorrow. Is that the right approach? No. Why? You are probably going to be alive tomorrow and just because you are spending most or all of your money does not equal a better life for you and/or others.

Blowing your money today just makes the following days, and weeks, and years, and decades more difficult and certainly more stressful. Most people know this, but some choose to ignore it. Why? It's easy and taking the easy path does not require any real amount of hard work. Of course, they are still going to die and on their death bed what will they say? "I 'm glad I bought all that stuff." I don't think so.

It can be beneficial to see yourself on that death bed. You can go there right now as you read these words and ask yourself, "what was important in my life and did I make the most of my many opportunities?" For some, family pops up. For others, it could be a cause that might involve their church, charity and/or other organizations. What will you be thinking about when you are on your last breaths?

Thinking about death can help us cherish being alive as we realize our days are numbered. We better get busy doing the things we want to do because time is slowly running out. What is it that you want to do? Are you doing it now? If not, why not? There is no do over. If you are not doing what you want to do, start! Death reminds us that we need to stay focused today on what we want to get done.

Here is one thing that many have stated on their deathbed. "I wish I would have had the courage to live my life instead of the life that others wanted me to live." This is something we can all use today to guide us to a better life in the future. We can bring forward courage to be the best version of ourselves as we let go of expectations many have placed on us. Being your true self is a reward all to itself.

Being your true self is not easy. It requires you to walk the perceived difficult path, but it must be done if you are to use the potential that lies within. When the crowd says join us, you should pause and really think that through. There is an opportunity cost to running with the herd rather than becoming the hero of your own journey (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8nFACrLxr0) . The doors you enter are your own choosing. Choose wisely to avoid the regrets.

Regret is a pill that is hard to swallow. It is hard to eliminate regret, but we can work hard to reduce the amount. No one does everything right and no one avoids a few regrets here and there, but we can live in a more mindful moment right now with the thought that we are going to live so regrets are minimized. This means letting go of many rules that society places on us. This means writing your own rules!

Pending death reminds us to use the money that you have squirreled away over the years. You don't get extra points for being the richest person in the cemetery! This can be a problem for some. They were great savers and maybe great investors, but they are not so good at utilizing that money prior to death. Do better! This means changing your mindset as you find ways to use that money to help others while alive.

I am sure some of you are thinking, "What does this death stuff have to do with personal finance?" Here is what I would say to that question. By getting your finances in order to include your investments, you will place yourself and your family in a better spot to do what you were meant to do, rather than what others want you to do. That translates into fewer regrets along the way and hopefully peace on your deathbed.

So, let's wrap this up. Our pending death can help us to live a life we were meant to live, being our true selves along the way. Death sits there at the end of the journey waiting for us. By the time we get there, we should be exhausted from doing everything we wanted to do with our lives. When the day finally comes, we close our eyes knowing we lived the life of our dreams. The hero of the story ended up being YOU. The end.

Stuff the lawyer wants me to say: Investing outside a bank or a credit union is not FDIC insured. You may lose the value in the investments you select. All information provided here is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer to buy or sell any of the securities, insurance products, or other products named. Translated: I am not selling anything! Educate yourself, research the information that you learned and finally make the right decisions that will benefit you and your family going forward.

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