Picturing Our Deathbed Can Help Us Live Better

By Lisa Pahl, LCSW

What does your dying self have to say about the life you are living?

Preparing for our own death isn’t just about making things easier for our loved ones after we’re gone. It’s also about being aware of our mortality and leading the life that we can be proud of.

By picturing your deathbed, we can ask ourselves important questions. 

Am I on the right path?

Do I feel good about where my priorities are? 

How might people describe me and is that how I would like to be known?

How important is this worry that’s on my mind today when I look at the big picture? 

What are my regrets and are they able to be altered?"

Our perspective can shift in both small and big ways from answering questions like these and engaging in mortality reflection.