archive link: https://archive.ph/bRbAh
Death is a psychologically threatening fact, but when people contemplate it, apparently the automatic system begins to search for happy thoughts.
Add it all up, and considering your death doesn’t make you reach for your bucket list; considering your death makes you less self-centered and more likely to engage in prosocial behaviors.
It’s easy to live mindlessly when you think you’ll live forever. When you face — and embrace — the fact your days are numbered, your perspective changes.
Or if it sounds a little Bhutanese-y, that’s also because it is. According to a Bhutanese folk saying, to be happy you must contemplate death five times a day.
When you understand that nothing is permanent you cannot help but follow a better, happier path. It calms your mind. You tend not to get overly excited, angry, or critical.
With this principle, people interact with others and it improves their relationships. They become more grateful and gratuitous.
Think of it this way. Today could be the last day you get to make a difference in another person's life. Today could be the last chance you get to someone feel they matter. Today could be the last day you get to say "I love you" to the people you care about.
I stumbled upon this idea when reading some psychology writing.
I think I have read an aphorism in Zorba the Greek to try to live each day like it's your last, and to try to also live like you'll live forever, and wisdom is to know something of how to combine both those ideas together.
I think I've thought of death a lot but I'm not totally sure how much it's improved my life. I have known certain people who have died around me and had that sense of trying to make the best of each day since tomorrow isn't guaranteed.
I think as relates to religion, thinking about death sometimes reminds people to try to be more virtuous and to avoid sin more.
But anyway, maybe thinking about death could be beneficial for putting people's lives in perspective more.