I've got a good friend who's come a long way in life. He went from selling drugs in high school and nearly dying in a dirt bike accident, to owning his own company where he's the boss and makes the decisions. The accident left him in a coma with numerous broken bones, scars, and an unrelenting drive to succeed in life. There was something about his near-death experience that made something click. He embraced it.

Memento Mori—more than just a phrase. It’s an idea, a thought process, a reality, and a way of life. Being conscious of your own mortality is often something we shy away from. We push it to the side because the thought of no longer being here frightens us. But what’s more frightening is getting to the end of your life and realizing you had so much more you wanted to do.

So how do we strike the delicate balance of being aware of our limited time without living in constant fear that our time will inevitably be up?

This is where you need to shape the way you think of Memento Mori, and how you incorporate it into your thought process of everyday life. Think of it as a lens to make better decisions. You are the camera, Memento Mori is the lens, and you’re observing life.​

For example, when you’re in the process of making a difficult decision, ask yourself, “Will I be okay having never done this?” If the answer is, “no,” then you should probably do it! Or at least really consider how to make it happen. Of course, you still need to take things into consideration like your job, family, finances, etc. It might not make sense to spend your life savings on a 2-year backpacking journey across Europe. Then again, it might!

This is how you get to choose your story. And it’s just that, your story. Nobody else’s. You get to evaluate what’s important to you and what isn’t. Keep in mind the big picture, and do what you can to facilitate those important events along the way.

Three daily practices to remind yourself of mortality: