Overcoming The Fear Of Death (DO THIS TODAY)

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

We all know death is coming. For some sooner than others. We all know that there's a combination of numbers that form the eventual date of your departure as a living, breathing, human being.

The problem is that obsessing over it is futile. Because, often, it's out of our control.

Of course there are things we can do to lengthen our time, such as:

- eating healthily

- exercising

- practising mindfulness

- having good relationships

- looking both ways when you cross the street

But the fact is that a large part of death is beyond what we can do.

We don't know what happens after we die. We don't know when we'll die. And for most of us, we don't know how we're going to die.

The problem with making your date with destiny an obsession, is that it creates the wrong outlook on life.

We all consider ourselves to be human beings, with a date of birth and a date of death.

But that's an extremely superficial description. We aren't just human beings, we're a cluster of stardust that has been around for billions and billions of years.

We aren't just a torso, legs, arms and a few more features with a lifespan of around 80 years. We're an endless form of energy that encompasses the vast universe around us.

Why do we pigeonhole ourselves as human beings, with the occasional spiritual experience?

Instead, let's think of ourselves as spiritual beings having a temporary human experience.

Is that a better way of thinking, or what?

When we think from that perspective, suddenly gratitude doesn't seem so tough.

You mean to tell me that out of the trillions and trillions of different forms, times and entities I could have inhabited, I became a human being, with a nervous system, emotions, strengths, weaknesses, vocal chords, taste buds and that accomplished feeling when I throw a 3-pointer with an apple pip directly into my bedroom bin?

Suddenly gratitude becomes easy, and death becomes so much more simple. It's just the end of another cycle, and the temporary human experience you were so fortunate to be given.

The book The Power Of Intention by Dr Wayne W. Dyer inspired me to have this mindset shift. Although it's not my favourite personal development book out there, that perspective on death stuck with me - and I think it could help you too.