Live like you’re dying.
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December 29, 2014 was an important day…
My grandmother had recently passed, and it destroyed me.
She was a cornerstone of my life, and I couldn’t imagine how I’d move forward.
For the first time as an adult, I decided to journal—to process the grief.
That first entry on December 29th poured emotion onto the page. I cried as I wrote.
It felt like a step toward healing, but there was a problem: it took 30 minutes. As a busy CIO, I thought, How will I ever find the time to do this every day?
Fast forward to today. Journaling has been part of my life for a decade. I wake up at 4 a.m. without an alarm and dedicate my mornings to me: journaling, coffee with my wife, breakfast, exercise, meditation, stretching, and reflection.
I didn’t find time. I made time.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
“I don’t have time” is just an excuse. It’s an adult version of, “The dog ate my homework.”
That first 30 minutes once felt impossible. Now, it’s a drop in the bucket—a habit that transformed my beliefs about self-care and well-being.
And that’s what I want for you.
A New Perspective
I recently heard a podcast where death doula Alua Arthur said:
“Our deaths are practically begging us to live.”
Read that again.
Can you imagine making a commitment to yourself to live like you’re going to die? How would that change your priorities? Your focus?
Dr. Jeff Jennings, a clinical psychologist friend, shared an exercise with me that drives this home:
“Pretend you’re 90, on your deathbed. What will your biggest regrets in life be?”
It’s an eye-opening question. But then he takes it further:
“Now, pretend you’re 60. What are your biggest regrets at that age?”
It’s remarkable how the list changes. At 90, you think of legacy. At 60, you focus on the things you still have time to change.
This exercise shifted how I view my time. It challenged me to stop waiting for someday and to start living today.
The Challenge
Here’s what I want to ask you:
What have you delayed that truly matters to you?
What’s the one thing you’ve been putting off that could change your life?
If you wait to find time, you never will. You have to make time.
They say, “You only live once.” I say, that’s wrong.
You die once. You live every single day.
So why wait? Start now. After all, you’re dying.
Your coach,
Chris
P.S. ♻ Sharing is caring. Please consider forwarding this to a friend, if you found it useful. Your kindness could change someone else’s life!
