Yesterday was my birthday and I feel super lucky to have two very close friends who have their birthdays on the 28th and 29th November so every year we have a triple celebration making it even more special.
My birthday is always a day where I focus on what really matters to me; my family, friends, our good health and making magical memories together. It is a day where I celebrate another year alive and thus it is also a day when I think about my mortality.
Acceptance of your mortality is a key part to understanding your purpose in life. We all live with the knowledge that one day we will die. It is an inevitable event yet the actual date is unknown. As you get older, mortality tends to act as the catalyst to prompt you into living with even more intention and purpose than ever before.
Asking questions like these are common affair. Why am I here on this planet? What is the reason I get up in the morning? What difference do I want to make? What legacy will I choose to create?
The thought of your impending mortality triggers the need to reflect on what really matters to you and on the desire to make a difference, to clarify your values, to be of greater service to others, to leave a legacy, to invest in personal growth and development and ultimately prompts you to search for deeper meaning in life. Mortality also helps you to focus on what brings you joy, meaning and fulfilment. In turn, this leads to living a more purpose-driven life in alignment with your values.
Knowing that your time is limited can inspire you to make a contribution towards something greater than yourself. Death is a powerful motivator to start building a legacy, to leave the world in a better place and to focus on your purpose.
If you have reached midlife and are reading this, welcome to the purpose party! Purposeful reflection often happens when you reach this time of your life as you start to re-evaluate what has been and what is still yet to come with the remainder of your unknown years. You might call this feeling, or chapter of your life, a midlife crisis however let’s instead call it a midlife beginning.
‘The beginning is always today.’ Mary Shelley
See it as a wonderful opportunity for you to pause, reflect and appreciate the present moment for what it really is. Transition from a state of confusion to a position of clarity. Exchanging the state of existing to living with purpose.
Instead of worrying about the future or dwelling on what has been, simply be mindful and grateful for what you have right now. This intentional mindfulness enables you to have a deep appreciation of life’s more humble pleasures and in turn will give you a greater sense of purpose.
What you do matters. Who you are matters. Every moment matters.
‘Execute every act of thy life as though it were thy last.’ Marcus Aurelius
Focus on Mortality! Focus on WHY!
Action Point: Take action today as there may be no time tomorrow!
Amy